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A New Reading Note-Book 



Comprising explanatory notes, questions and sug- 
gestions for study, biographical notes and reading 
lists, pronouncing list, and other material, design- 
ed for use in connection with the Howe Readers 



BY 
CHARLES MADISON CURRY 

Professor of Literature in The Indiana State Normal School 



1909 

THE INLAND PUBLISHING COMPANY 

Terre Haute, Indiana 



V 






Copyright 1909 

By CHARLES M. CURRY 



©CI. A 253975 



c 



PREFACE 

This little book is just what the title indicates, a 
f *note-book.'" ; The .story of its making is somewhat as 
follows : Ten years ago while one of the editors of a 
teachers' magazine, the author hit upon the idea of 
preparing such a work, to be published as a special 
number of that magazine. Its purpose was to help 
teachers who did not have hamby access to libraries of 
reference books, by furnishing explanations of difficult 
points and by giving biographical and other notes. In 
the process of writing the material grew far bej^ond the 
original intention, and the suggestions for study took 
the main place in the notes. It met with a success that 
was not anticipated, and in book form has had a sale of 
over 50,000 copies. 

.Recently "The Howe Readers" (Scribners) were 
adopted in Indiana for a term of years and numerous 
letters from teachers over the State and request from 
the publishers have induced the compiler to write a new 
work on a larger scale, based upon the material used in 
those readers. All the features of importance in the 
old work have been retained and some new ones added. 
Particularly, the questions and suggestions for study 
have been emphasized, as that seemed the feature of the 
book that gave most help to teachers. Important titles 
and biographies of the authors, from whom selections 
in the readers are taken, have been given so that much 
supplementary reading is suggested for both the teacher 
and the pupil. 

An informal tone has been used throughout as best 
adapted to the purpose in view. The aim is to be help- 
ful rather than profound, to be suggestive rather than 
to interfere in any way with the teacher's own methods 
of procedure. 

Where- so many questions of fact, so many dates and 

III. 



detail?, such a variety of material, are included in a 
/small compass it is impossible to expect that no errors 
have crept in. It is believed, however, that a fair de- 
gree of accuracy has been maintained, and that teachers 
m ay rely upon the book. At any rate much effort has 
been expended by both compiler and publisher to that 
end. 

The reference books drawn upon are altogether too 
numerous for special mention. However, this note 
should not close without an expression of thanks to my 
friend, Professor Thomas H. Briggs, for his gracious 
permission to include his fine study of Burns' "Honest 
Poverty/' nor should it close without stating that I am 
indebted to my wife for many of the best things in the 
book. 

C. M. C. 

Terro Haute, Ind. 

November 1, 1909. 




IV. 



CONTENTS 

1. Preface Page III 

2. Eeal Reading " VI 

3. Introductory $ VII 

4. Pronouncing list ■. . . . " X 

5. Note Book Paaes^l-248 



(The "Note-Book" is arranged alphabetically, all the 
authors and selections in the Second, Third, Fourth and 
Fifth Eeaders being included under a single alphabet. 
Following the notes on each author will be found a 
reference telling in which Eeaders and on what pages 
selections from his work are located. Eoman numerals 
refer to number of the Eeader, Arabic numerals refer 
to pages. At the beginning of the note on any particu- 
lar selection will be found an indication of the author, 
the Eeader in which found, and the page, thus: (Long- 
fellow— IV— 60) . 



V. 



REAL READING 

"I am sure that a man ought to read as he would grasp 
a nettle; do it lightly., and you get molested; grasp it 
with all your strength and you feel none of its asperities. 
There is nothing so horrible as languid study, when you 
sit looking at the elock, wishing the time was over, or 
that somebody would call on you and put you out of your 
misery. The onl}- way to read with any efficacy is to read 
so heartily that dinner-time comes two hours before you 
expected it. 

"To sit with your Livy before you, and hear the geese 
cackling that saved the Capitol; and to see with your own 
eyes the Carthagenian sutlers gathering up the rings of 
the Roman knights after the battle of Cannae, and heaping 
them into bushels; and to be so intimately present at the 
actions you are reading of that when anybody knocks at 
the door it will take you two or three seconds to deter- 
mine whether you are in your own study, or in the plains 
of Lombarcly, looking at Hannibal's weather-beaten face, 
admiring the splendor of his single eye, — this is the only 
kind of study which is not useless, this is the knowledge 
which gets into the system, and which a man carries about 
and uses like his limbs, without perceiving that it is ex- 
traneous, weighty, or inconvenient." 

—SIDNEY SMITH. 



VI. 



INTRODUCTORY 

This work does not in any sense undertake to develop 
a theory of how to teach reading in the abstract. It is 
based upon the conception that a piece of literature is an 
organism containing within itself the laws of its own be- 
ing, and that any method of procedure that brings the 
student face to face with what is characteristic is a good 
method. In general the best way to teach a child how to 
read is to interest him vitally in the thing he is reading 
about. 

PRIMARY READING 

However, in primary work the' teacher faces the prob- 
lem of making the child able to use and to understand 
the language symbols for ideas. In the beginning he has 
more ideas than he has the language symbols for. In a 
day not far distant the plan was to begin with the in- 
dividual letters of the alphabet and later move to com- 
binations of these letters into words, — the so-called '"al- 
phabetic method." But at present one would go far to 
find a skilful primary teacher using such a plan. Through 
a long process of theorizing and experimenting we have 
passed through the various stages of the. "word method," 
the "phonic method," the "sentence method," and others, 
to the view that probably no one of these alone offers the 
best mode of approach tc the problem. The conclusion 
seems to be that some kind of a "combination method" 
m which elements of each of these are found, works out 
best in practice. The primary books of the Howe series 
are not method books, the teacher being left free to put 
his own ideas on that subject into practice. For those 
who need help on how to teach beginners in reading the 
following list is given: 

i. Briggs and Coffman: Reading in the Public 
Schools. — Row, Peterson & 'Co., Chicago. This book 
covers in a sane and interesting way the whole subject of 
reading in the grades, and is recommended as one of the 
very best of the recent works on the subject. 

VII. 



2. McMurry: Special Method in Primary Reading. — 
The Macmillan Co., New York. 

3. Ward: Rational Readers.— Silver, Bnrdett and Co., 
Boston. 

In these and the following, methods of teaching primary 
reading arc worked out in great detail. 

4. The A Mine Readers. — Newsom and Co., New York. 

LITERATURE 

The use of real literature as a basis of all the work in 
reading has come to be regarded as settled. From 
"'Mother Goose" to Milton, our readers are now made up, 
as nearly as possible, of what is regarded as possessing 
literary quality. While mastering the more mechanical 
elements in learning to read, the. child is introduced to a 
great variety of material that, has artistic value, and thus 
to the great field of books. The forming of a literary 
iaste, the introduction to great books, is an object never 
lost sight of. Particularly in the more advanced grades, 
reading books are made up of masterpieces, or extracts 
from them, and information books are relegated to their 
proper places. This makes it necessary that the teacher 
should know books from the inside, that he should have 
a good literary taste, based upon real acquaintance with 
literature and not upon mere "chatter" about books. The 
works in this particular field are legion and only a few 
can be mentioned as among those that are, at least, prac- 
tically helpful: 

1. Cox: Literature in the Common Schools. — Little, 
Brcwn and Co., Boston. 

This book contains a brief and suggestive discussion of 
the nature of literature and has extended lists of books 
classified by grades. 

2. MacClintock Literature in the Elementary School. 
— University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 111. 

3. Colby: Literature and Life. — Houghton, Mirrlin and 
Co., Boston. 

4. Bates: Talks on Teaching Literature. — Houghton, 
Mifflin & Co., Boston. 

VIII. 



5 McMurry: Special Method in Reading English Clas- 
sics. — The Macmillan Co., New York. 

6. Woodberry: The Appreciation of Literature. — The 
Baker and Taylor Co., New York. 

Many publishing houses issue in cheap form selections 
for use in the grades as well as in high schools, often ac- 
companied by notes and other valuable aids for under- 
standing them. 

THE GENERAL PROBLEM 

Few subjects have been given as great emphasis in 
modern educational- literature as the teaching of English 
in all of its phases. The necessity of effectively using the 
mother tongue is recognized as never before, and a few 
helpful books are suggested, covering this whole field: 

i. Chubb: The Teaching of English. — The Macmil- 
lan Co.. New York. 

2. Carpenter, Baker and Scott: The Teaching of Eng- 
lish. — Longmans, Green and Co., New York. 

3. Baker and Carpenter: The Language Readers. — 
The Macmillan Co., New York. 

This series of books develops a method of carrying 
along together, all through the grades, the various phases 
of English work; reading, grammar, composition, etc. 

FINALLY 

In conclusion it may be allowable to suggest that in the 
various studies of the selections enumerated in this book 
may be found a concrete and definite way of dealing 
profitably with literary selections. Some of the studies 
have been developed with more detail than others with 
the thought that they may serve to stimulate teachers to 
do a more intensive kind of work than usual. The fol- 
lowing half-dozen may serve to illustrate this point: 
"Honest Poverty," "In School Days," "Ulysses," Rip 
Van Winkle," "A Psalm of Life," "The Barefoot Boy." 



IX. 



PRONOUNCING LIST OF WORDS 



(This list includes a number of proper names of persons, 
places and authors, together with a few other words that 
occur in the readers. No attempt is made to be exhaustive, 
but only to select a few words that teachers may be glad to 
have an approximate pronunciation of along with the notes. 
In the attempt at a phonetic respelling Webster's "New 
International Dictionary" has been followed in the main, 
though other authorities have been drawn upon. In the 
French words the nasal sound is indicated simply by the 
letter "n".) 



Abou ben Adhem 

Achilles 

Acre 

Aequians 

Agincourt 



Ah-ni-ghi-to 

Alba Longa 

Albert de Malvoisin 

Algid us 

Algiers 

Amiiias 

Apollyon 

Appalachian 

Ariel 

Aslaug 

Audubon 

Aurora 

Austerlitz 

Avilion 

Azores 

Babylonish 

Balmung 

Barbecue 

Beaumanoir 

Bedivere 

Benledi 

Bernard 

Berlin 



(or English,) 



(or,) 
(or,) 



(or,) 



a/-boo ben ad'-hem 

a-kil'-ez 

a'ker 

e'-kwi-ans 

a'-zhan-koor' 

aj'-in-kort 

ah-nr'-ghi-to 

al'-ba leng'-ga 

al-beV de mal-vwa'-san 

al'-gl-dus 

al-jerz' 

a-mil'-i-as 

a-pol'-i-on 

a-pol'-yon 

ap-a-lach'-i-an 

ap-a-la'-chi-an 

a'-ri-el 

as'-loug 

a'-doo-bon 

a-ro'-ra 

ous'-ter-lits 

a-vil'-i-on 

a-vil'-ySn 

a-zorz' 

bab-i-lo'-nish 

bal'-moSng 

bar'-be-ku 

bo-man-war' 

bSd'-I-ver 

ben-ledM 

b£r-nar' 

b8r-len' 



X 



Be^h-Iehem-judah 
Blucher 

Boaz 

Bois de Boulogne 

Brian de Bois-Guilbert 

Braine 1'Alleud 

Briareus 

Britannia 

Broek 

Bucephalus 

Burgundy 

Cadi 

Cadiz 

Caeso 

Casse 

Ca.ssius 

Chanticleer 

Chilion 

C lan-AJpine 

Cleges (Sir) 

Clough 

Clyrnene 

CGilantogle 

Comanche 

Coups 

Cowper (V/illiam) 

Coyote 
Cressy 
Croisic 
Crusoe 
Cuirassiers 

Dasent (G. W.) 

Deborah Read 

Delrnonico 

Delord 

Devoir 

Diana 

Diedrich Knickerbocker 
Don Quixote 



(or,) 



(or,) 



bethMe-hem-joo'-da 

blii'-ker 

bo'-az 

bwa'-de-boo-lon'-y 

bre-an'-de-bwa-gel'-ber' 

bran'-lal-luh' 

brl-a'-re-us 

brirtan'-i-a 

brok (o as in move.) 

bu-seT-a-lus 

bur'-gun-di 

ka'-di 
ka'-diz 
se'-zo 
ka-sa' 
kash'-i-us 
chan'-ti-kler 
kil'-i-on 
klan-al'-pin 
cle'-jez 
kluf 

klim'-e-ne 
coil'-an-to'~gl 
ko-man'-che" 
kooz 

koo'-per • 
kou'-per 
kl'-ot 
cres -i 
krwa-zek' 
kroo'-so 
kwe-ra-ser' 

da/-sent 

deb'-o-ra reed 

del-mon'-i-co 

de-lor' 

deV'-wor 

dl-an'-a 

di-a'-na 

de'-drik mk'-er-bok'-er 

don kwiks'-ot 



Druids 
Dubois 
Duicinea 

Egypt 

Eichao 

Elimelech 



(or Spanish,) don ke-ho'-ta 
droo'-idz 
dii-bwa' 
dul'-si-ne'-a 

e'jipt 

i-ka'-o 

e-llm'-e-lek 



XI 



Epaphus 

Epatke 

Eskimo 

Excalibur 

Ezel 

Frischemont 
Fujiyama 

Gael 
Gallia 
Gawaine 
. Genappe 
Genie 
Gessler 
Gibraltar 
Gingerbernooster 
Gitche Gumee 
Gloucester 
Goh Bang 
Greenwich 
Gretel 
Grim a 

Grinnell (G. B.) 
Grouchy 

Hamelin 

Hammerfest 

Hans 

Hayerhill 

Heliades 

Helvetia 

Hemans (Mrs.) 

Hercules 

Hesperides 

Hiawatha 

Hispania 

Hoang-Ho 

Hoti 

Hyades 

Hyla 

Hyungbo 

Igloo 

Iktomi 

Indostan 

Ingelow (Jean) 

Iris 

Ishkoodah 

Italia 



ep'-a-fus 

e-pat'-ka 

es'-ki-mo 

eks-kal'-i-bur 

e'-zel 

frish-mon' 
foo'-je-ya'-ma 

gal 

gal'-i-a 

ga'-wan 

zhe-nap' 

je'-m 

gess'-ler 

ji-brol'-ter 

jin'-jer-ber-noos'-ter 

gltch'-e gu'-me 

glos-ter 

go'-bang' 

grin'-rj 

grSt'-el 

grlm'-a 

grm-nel' 

groo-she' 

ham'-e-lm 
ham'-mer-fest 
hans 
ha'-ver-il 
he-ll'-a-dez 
hSl-ve'-shi-a 
hSm'-anz 
her'-ku-lez 
hgs-pSr'-I-dez 
hl-a-wath'-a 
(or,) he-a-wath'-a 
hls-pa'-nl-a 
hwang'-ho' 
ho'-tl' 
hi'-a-dez 
hlMa 
hl'-ung-bo' 

TgMoo 

Ik-to'-m? 

In-do-stan' 

m'-je-lo 

l'-rts 

3fsh'-ko6-dah' 

e-tal'-ya 

XII 



Joaquin (Miller) 
Joan Guthierez 
Jackal 

Kaatskill 

Ko-Chung-Kee 
Kremlin 

La Haie Saint e 

Laissez Aller 

Lanier (Sidney) 

Lannes 

Launcelot 

Letitia 

Lilliput 

Lucius Pella 

Lucius Tarquinius 



wa-ken' 

jon' goo-te-ar'-reth 

jak'-al 

cSts'-kill 

(same as, c&ts-kill.) 

ko'-chung'-ke' 
krem'-lm 

la-a/-san' 

le-sa' za-la 

la-neV 

Ian 

lan'-se-15t 

le-tish'-I-a 

hTI-put 

lu'-shus pgl'-la 



Mackay (Charles) 

Mahlon 

Malory (Thomas) 

Malplaquet 

Mandarin 

Maraposa 

Mars 

Marseilles 

Merced 

Mercury 

Mesha 

Mevrouw 

Midas 

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra 

Milhaud 

Mimer 

Moab 

Moabitess 

Monadnock 

Monteuil 

Mont-Fichet 

Mont Saint Jean 

Moscow 

Muir (John) 

Mynheer van Gleck 

Myrmidons 

Nahl bo 
Nan Kin 
Naomi 
Nautilus 



lu'-shus tar-kwm'-i-us 

ma-kl' 

ma'-15n 

mal'-o-ri 

mal-pla-ka' 

man'-da-rin 

ma-re-po'-sa 

marz 

mar-salz' 

mer-sad' 

mer'-ku-r! 

me'-sha 

mev-roo' 

ml'-das 

me-gel' da ser-van'-tez sa-a- 

va'-dra 
me-lo' 
me'-mer 
mo'-5,b 
mo-ab-It'-Ss 
m6-n&d'-n5k 
mon-twg'-I 
mon'-fich-a' 
mon s&n zhan' 
mSs'-ko 
mur 

mln-har' van glSck' 
mur'-ml-donz 

nal'-bo' 

n&n' kin' 

na-o'-ml 

no'-tl-lus 



XIII 



Nivelles 
Ney 

Nokomis 
Nottingham 

Ocklawaha 

Octavius 

Ohain 

Olympus 

Ophelia 

O'Reilly (John Boyle) 

Orpah 

Palatine 

Pandora 

Patroclus 

Patti 

Pawnee 

Peary 

Phaethon 

Pharos 

Phoebus 

Phyllis 

Pierre Loti 

Plutus 

Plymouth 

Poitiers 

Qui vive 

Ragnar 

Ramielles 

Ratisbon 

Remus 

Reynard 

Roche (James Jeffrey) 

Roderick Dhu 

Romulus 

Rossetti 

Rozinante 

Samarcand 

Samoa 

Schwatka (Frederick) 

St. Helena 

Saint Vincent 

Sancho Panza 

Saracen 

Sherwood 

Siegfried 

Sierra 



ne-yel' 
na 

no-ko'-mis 
nSt'-ing-am 

ok-la-wa'-ha 

ok-ta'-vi-us 

o-an' 

o-lim'-pus 

6-ieV-ya. 

o-rl'-li 

or'-pa 

pal'-a-tm 

pan-do'-ra 

pa-tro'-klus 

pat'.-e 

po-ne' 

pe'-ri 

fa'-e-thon 

fa'-ros 

fe'-bus 

fil'-is 

pe-air' lo'-te 

ploo'-tiis 

piim'-Qth 

pwa-tya/ 

ke-vev' 

rag'-nar 

ra-me'-ye' 

rat/-is-bon 

re'-mus 

ra'-nard 

roch 

rod'-er-ik doo' 

rom'-u-lus 

ros-set'-te 

roz'-i-nan'-te 

sam'-ar-kant' 

sii-mo'-a 
shwoV-ka 
sant he-le'-na 
sant vm'-sent 
san'-ko pan'-za 
sar'-a-sen 
sher'-wood 
seg'-fred 
si-er'-a 



XIV 



Siren 




sr-ren 


Soignes 




swan-ye' 


Southey (Robert) 


siith'-i 


Styx 
Switzerland 




stix 
swit'-zer-land 


Syrian 




sir'-i-an 


Templestowe 




tem'-pl-sto 


Tevsotdale 




te'-vi-ut-dal 


Tiber 




ti'-bur 


Ti-ra-wa 




ti-ra'-wa 


Trafalgar 




traf-al-gar' 
(or) tra-fal'-gar 


Triton 




-tri'-ton 


Trowbridge (J. 


T.) 


tro'-brij 


Tsi Ann 




tse' an' 


Tuscurnbia 




tus-kum'-bi-a 


Ulysses 




u-lis'-ez 


Ute 




ut 


Van Diemen's 


(Land) 


van de'-menz 


Vailima 




va-e-le'-ma 


Vive Piimpereur 


veV lan-prur' 


Vulcan 




vui'-kan 


Wacrras eit 




wa-choo'-set 


Wah-wah-taysee 


wa'-wa-ta'-se 


Waldemar 




' val'-de-mar 


Wathier 




va-ti-a' 


Wawona 




wa-wo'-na 


Wyss (Johann Rudolf) 


vis 


Yokohama 




vo-ko-ha'-ma 


Yorkshire 




/ 1 * 

yon-: -shir 


Yosemite 




yo-seni'-i-te 


Zamor 




za'- nior 


Zeus 




zus 


Zodiac 




zo'-di-ak 


Zitkala Sa 




zit-ka'-la sha' 


Zuyder-Zee 


(Di 


zl'-der-ze' 
itch) zoi'-der-za' 



XV 



A NEW READING NOTE-BOOK 



ABBEY, HENRY 

Lives at Rondout, New York, where he was born in 
1842. Journalist and contributor to various periodicals 
and magazines. Poet of easy style and considerable 
suggestiveness. Collected edition of his works published 
by D. Appleton & Co., New York. "The Critic," speak- 
ing of his work, said: "He tells a story well, finds a poetic 
moral in more than one classic theme, and discovers 
much that belongs to poetry in plain wayside life. One 
would wish sometimes for a little more rigid exclusion of 
material which can be treated better in prose than in 
verse." 

ABOU BEN ADHEM AND THE ANGEL 

(Hunt — IV — 165.) Written after the manner of an ori- 
ental fable. What impression do you have of Ben Adhem 
from such expressions as "May his tribe increase!" 
"Awoke from dream of peace," "exceeding peace had 
made Ben Adhem bold"? What was the angel doing? 
What two questions did Ben Adhem ask? Was he dis- 
appointed at the second answer? Can you tell why he 
"spoke more low" in answering? Would it take much 
courage to speak "cheerily"? What did Ben Adhem learn 
when the angel' came again? Note that love of the Lord 
is tested by love of our fellow men. 

He prayeth best who loveth best 
All things both great and small. 

—Coleridge. 



Deep dream of peace. . .exceeding peace. Both ex- 
pressions suggtfsl quiel and repose of spirit, easy or clear 
conscience. So powerful is this feeling in Abou that it 
Lakes away the fear of the supernatural.— Sweet accord. 
Perfecl harmony. A unity with the divine will which 
expresses itself in the angelic look.— Ben. This word, 
which is seen so often in Oriental names, means "sun of." 

The following helpful suggestion by Prof. Clark is taken 
from "The inland Educator" for August,i8o9. It may 
be practiced in connection with almost any piece of lit- 
erature and is given here because he illustrated his idea 
from this poem, 

"The purpose of paraphrasing expansively is to make 
the thoughl and feeling clearer and more real by dwelling 
upon the words of the author. A very common habit in 

school and ""I of it, is to read without thinking-. To 

overcome this habit, and consequently to improve the 
oral expression, the pupil should take each thoughl and 
hold it I" fore the mind until the picture stands out 
clearly, li is remarkable how many details will t;row 
clearer and clearer, and further, how the feeling will be 
increased, as the ideas gel possession of us . . . Let ns 

take .in illustration, to show how the paraphrase will 

assist us to gel the Eeeling . . . 

The Angel wrote and vanished The next night 
It came again with a greal wakening light, 

And showed the names whom love of God had blest, 
Ami lol Ben Adluin's name led all the rest. 
"The average child will be likely to read the con- 
clusion as if it contained a simple statement of fact. 

But we know it should contain' far more than this. It 

should in. Mill, i .1 certain joy and elevation of feeling. 
growing out of our sympathy with Abou. How shall 
we make this clear to the child? Shall we tell him to be 
joyful? Shall we tell him to raise his voice? Under 
favorable circumstances such suggestions may be help- 
ful, but they are certainly not educative. Let US, SO to 

speak, open out the thought ^i the lines for him, and 

lei ns endeavor to reach his feeling in this way, striving 



thus to develop thai true principle which must lie at the 

basis of .'ill emotional expression. 

"Let us first get the child to grasp clearly Alton's dis- 
appointment upon discovering thai his name was not, on 

the occasion of tlic angel's first visit, written in the book 
of gold. Let him understand that even he, the pupil, 
appreciates the nobility of good deeds, and in this way 
arouse a certain sympathy for Ben Adhem, This by way 
of preparation. Then comes the second visit. I low in- 
tently the good man regards the angel, and how earnestly 
he Scans the angel's list! Mas his life been a failure? 

[las lie misunderstood God's message to men? P,ut, see! 
at the head of the list is Ben Adhem's name. Oh! the 

joy of it to Ren Adhem; and the joy to us, who sympa- 
thize with him. It is this joy that gets into the voice as 
we read the last two lines, and this joy mifcht be ex- 
pressed in the paraphrase 'And lo! — and how I rejoice to 
tell it! — Ben Adhem's name, — the name of this lovable 
man whose life had been devoted to well doing, his name, 
think of it! Should his life not be an encouragement to 
us? — his name led all the rest.' 

"Such practice as that suggested above should be a 

part of OUr teaching from the beginning and should be 
continued until the pupils form correct habits of inter- 
pretation." 

ADDISON, JOSEPH 

T.orn May t, 1672, at Milston, in Wiltshire, England. 
Educated at Charter Mouse, and at Queen's College, Ox- 
ford, with a notable reputation as a classical scholar. In 
1600 he was granted a pension of 300 pounds by the 
Crown, the object being to allow him to prepare, by 

menus of travel, for participation in state affairs. Tin- 
loss of power by the whigs upon the accession <>f Queen 
Anne in 1702, caused Addison's pension lo cease, and left 
him in the position of a mere literary "hack." Mis oppor- 
tunity came, however, with the famous victory of Marl- 
borough at Blenheim, which Addison, by in vit ;it ion, cele- 
brated in the poem called "The Campaign." From this 
time on he was a great central figure in the intellectual 



and political life of his time. An opera, "Rosamund," 
and a tragedy, "Cato," were famous in his day though 
little read at present. 

Addison's fame, however, rests secure upon his famous 
periodical, "The Spectator." The age of Queen Anne 
was the age of pamphleteering. The modern newspaper, 
with its marvelous facilities for gathering and disseminat- 
ing what was going on in the world was still far in the 
future. "The Spectator," the best representative of its 
class, was made up of essays upon the topics of the day 
somewhat resembling the editorials found in the better 
class of our newspapers. Richard Steele and other noted 
writers of the day were associated with Addison in writ- 
ing the material included in it. Their great object 
seemed to be to serve as critics of the morals and man- 
ners of their time. Addison states this object in these 
words: "Since I have raised to myself so great an 
audience, I shall spare no pains to make their instruction 
agreeable and their diversion useful. For which reason I 
shall endeavor to enliven morality with wit, and to tem- 
per wit with morality. . . . And to the end that their 
virtue and discretion may not be short, transient, inter- 
mitting starts of thought, I have resolved to refresh 
their memories from day to day till I have recovered 
them out of that desperate state of vice and folly into 
which the age has fallen. ... It was said of Socrates 
that he brought philosophy down from Heaven to in- 
habit among men; and I shall be ambitious to have it 
said of me that I have brought philosophy out of closets 
and libraries, schools and colleges, to dwell' in clubs and 
assemblies, at tea-tables and in coffee-houses." 

Benjamin Franklin in his "Autobiography" tells at 
length how he endeavored to master somewhat of Addi- 
son's fine, clear, prose style. This style is hardly ener- 
getic enough to satisfy the twentieth century, but Addi- 
son's place among the really great prose writers in our 
language is safe. 

The group of papers known as the "Sir Roger de Cov- 
erly Papers" is the means by which most readers make 
acquaintance with Addison. "It is perhaps not too 



sweeping to say that no writer between Shakespeare and 
Fielding has portrayed so real or so delightful a charac- 
ter as Sir Roger." 

Addison died June 17, 1719, and was buried in West- 
minster Abbey. 

A convenient and reliable guide for the main outlines 
of Addison's life and works is Courthope's "Life of Addi- 
son," in the English Men of Letters series. Macaulay's 
"Essay on Addison" is very stimulating. 

Selection: V, 227. 

AESOP 

The most popular collection of fables handed down 
from the past are those which are ascribed to the (sup- 
posed) Greek slave Aesop. His history (even his exist- 
ence) is uncertain, but he is said to have been born in 
Phrygia about 620 B. C; it is also reported that he was 
unusually ugly but so full of a certain droll wisdom that 
he practically ceased to be a slave and was employed as 
a. confidential adviser. The traditional story still further 
relates that he lost his life on a mission with which he 
had been entrusted by King Croesus, of ancient fame. He 
was to distribute a large sum of silver to the citizens of 
Delphi, but unable to find any plan of distribution that 
1 would suit the jealous Delphians, he became disgusted 
with the whole affair and sent the money back to the 
king. The enraged Delphians threw him over a high 
cliff, and thus he perished about 564 B. C. 

The fables were net written down by Aesop but passed 
along by word of mouth. This accounts for the great 
variety in versions and in the number of the fables found 
m different collections. The wide influence of fables is 
not hard to account for. "Truth embodied in a tale shall 
enter in at lowly doors." 
Selections; II, 12: III, 56. 

AFTER THE SHIPWRECK 

(Defoe — IV — 42.) This selection is made up of most 
of the sixth chapter of "Robinson Crusoe", with a few- 
paragraphs from the opening of the seventh chapter. 



Children should be encouraged to read the entire story, 
and generally all that is necessary is to put the book 
somewhere within their reach. A good text is that in 
the Riverside Literature series (sixty cents) which has 
a splendid introduction, setting forth the genesis of the 
story in terms that anyone can understand. "The truth 
is, Defoe was filled with the grand conception of a man 
stripped almost bare and set to reinstating himself." 

By common consent this story ranks as one of the 
masterpieces of fiction, and its simplicity and fundamen- 
tal quality render it peculiarly adapted to educational 
purposes. In fact the Herbartian school of pedagogy 
makes this book the central fact in the work of the sec- 
ond grade, and in the fourth chapter of Prof. Charles A. 
]\lcMurry's "Special Method in Primary Reading" the 
qualities of the book that make it thus useful and the best 
methods of bringing them before the children are fully 
and clearly presented. (The teacher interested in the 
problem of oral stories in the grades should have this 
book. He will find it possible to use the interest awak- 
ened by this episode given in the reader as a starting 
point for many interesting stories of other things in 
Crusoe's career.) In Crusoe's story the child pushes be- 
yond the boundary of the fairy world and comes into 
touch with the world of fact. The quoted passage from 
Prof. McMurry suggests some phases of the Crusoe 
problem: 

"He is cut off from help and left to his own resources. 
The interest of the story is in seeing how he will shift 
for himself and exercise his wits to insure plenty and 
comfort. With few tools and on a barbarous coast, he 
undertakes what men in society, by mutual exchange and 
by division of labor, have much difficulty in performing. 
Crusoe becomes a carpenter, a baker and cook, a hunter, 
a potter, a fisher, a farmer, a tailor, a boatman, a stock- 
raiser, a basket-maker, a shoe-maker, a tanner, a fruit- 
grower, a mason, a physician. And not only so, but he 
grapples with the difficulties of each trade or occupation 
in a bungling manner because of inexperience and lack 



of skill and exact knowledge. He is an experimenter and 
tester along many lines. The entire absence of helpers 
centers the whole interest of its varied struggle in one 
person. It is to be remembered that Crusoe is no genius, 
but the ordinary boy or man. He has abundant variety 
of needs such as a child reared under civilized conditions 
has learned to feel. The whole range of activities, usu- 
ally distributed to various classes and persons in society, 
rests now upon his single shoulders. If he were an ex- 
pert in all directions, the task would be easier, but he 
has only vague knowledge and scarcely any skilL The 
child, therefore, who reads this story, by reason of the 
slow, toilsome, and bungling processes of Crusoe in meet- 
ing his needs, becomes aware how difficult and laborious 
are the efforts by which the simple, common needs of all 
children are supplied. * * * The lesson of toil and 
hardship connected with the simple industries is one of 
great moment to children. Our whole social fabric is 
based on these toils, and it is one of the best results of 
a sound education to realize the place and importance 
of hard work. * * * Crusoe is a sort of universal man, 
embodying in his single effort that upward movement 
of men which has steadily carried them to the higher 
levels of progress. * * * Such parts of the story as 
are of most pedagogical value should be simplified and 
woven together into a continuous narrative. That part 
of the. story which precedes the shipwreck may be re- 
duced to a few paragraphs which bring out clearly his 
early home surroundings, his disobedience and the de- 
sertion of his parents, and the voyage which led to his 
lonely life upon the island. The period embraced in his 
companionless labors and experiences constitutes the im- 
portant part for school uses. A few of the more impor- 
tant episodes following the capture of Friday and his re- 
turn home may be briefly told." 

These quotations are given with the hope that they 
may lead the teacher to do more with this great book 
than is possible v/ith the brief passage in the reader. 



Keeping clearly in mind the fact that Crusoe had been 
cast upon the island with nothing, notice how he "used 
his wits" to get what he needed most from the wrecked 
ship. How did he get to the ship? How did he get on 
board? What did he get together to take ashore? How 
did he get it all ashore? Did he use good judgment at 
all points? What of his clothes? How did he remedy 
his error? 

AGREED TO DISAGREE 

(Dayre — III — 200.) What agreement is made in the 
first stanza? What was the cricket's idea of a fine place 
in which to live? What objection did the mouse make? 
What did the bumbleebee suggest? Why did this not 
suit the cricket? What was the mouse's ideal of a home? 
W T ho found fault with this? So, what did each do? We're 
they better off this way? (Notice how much wiser they 
are than human beings sometimes are. Did you ever hear 
of a person who wanted others to do as he did, and 
think as he thought, and who was very "intolerant" of 
those who disagreed with him? Human beings are not 
alike. Each one has his own individuality and this must 
be respected. The mouse, the cricket and the bumble- 
bee, did not go about telling mean stories about each 
other's unreasonableness. Each "lived his own life" in 
the true -meaning of that expression and they all "re- 
joiced in the sweet spring weather.") 

ALCOTT, LOUISA MAY 

Born November 29, 1832, at Germantown, Pa. Daugh- 
ter of Amos Bronson Alcott, widely known in his day as 
a philosopher of the transcendental school. Louisa was 
a teacher and the author of some stories of "harmless 
sensation" in her younger days. During the war she was 
an army nurse. Her first important book was "Little 
Women," published in 1868, and this has remained the 
most popular, as it is perhaps the best, of her stories. 
Other books, with which she followed up that great suc- 
cess, are "Little Men," "An Old-Fashioned Girl," and 
"Jo's Boys." Her books have always appealed strongly 



to young people, particularly to girls. They are full of 
the fine, hopeful qualities that do so much to instill high 
ideals of life and character in the young, and abundantly 
justify the wide reading they have received. Her later 
life was full of suffering from ill health. She died at 
Boston, March 6, 1888. Selection; V, 70. 

ALDRICH, THOMAS BAILEY 

Born November 11, 1836, at Portsmouth, N. H. His 

boyhood was spent partly in New England, and partly in 

Louisiana. After a few years in business in New York, 

he devoted himself to journalism and literature. From 

1881 to 1890 he was the editor of "The Atlantic Monthly." 

His fame perhaps rests mainly on his poetry, which is 

peculiarly graceful and finished, though it lacks certain 

larger qualities that appeal to the multitude. Aldrich 

has, therefore, always appealed to a smaller audience than 

Longfellow and Lowell. Among the best known of his 

poems may be mentioned "The Ballad of Babie Bell" 

and "Judith." This latter, the story of the famous heroine 

of the apocrypha Aldrich made into a drama in 1903 and 

it met with considerable success on the stage. Aldrich 

was also the author of several prose works distinguished 

by the same 'delicacy which marks his poetry. Best known 

of these is "Marjorie Daw." Another is the "Story of a 

Bad Boy," one of the most successful attempts to record 

the real life of a boy. Aldrich died at Boston in 1907. 

Selection: V, 9. 

ALICE IN WONDERLAND 

(Carroll— IV — 149.) This selection comprises the first 
half of the fifth chapter of "Through the Looking Glass," 
called "Wool and Water," with a few adaptations. The 
title given is misleading as it seems to suggest that the 
passage is from the more famous book called "Alice in 
Wonderland." Lewis Carroll is the pseudonym of the 
greatest nonsense writer in the language, and the tre- 
mendous cleverness upon which nonsense depends for its 
charm was partly indicated by the writer in the frequent 



use of italics. It is sometimes very difficult to read the 
speeches correctly without the aid of some such guide. 
The following-, printed as originally written, will illustrate: 

"Well, I don't want any to-day, at any rate." 

"You couldn't have it if you did want it," the Queen 
said. "The rule is, jam to-morrow and jam yesterday — 
but never jam to-day." 

"It must come sometimes to 'jam to-day.' " Alice ob- 
jected. 

"No, it can't," said the Queen. "It's jam every other 
day; to-day isn't any other day, you know." 

It will be an interesting experiment to try to locate 
these emphatic words throughout the selection, and the 
ability to do so will depend upon one's ability to catch 
clearly the whimsical idea that pervades it. Why was 
Alice so confused? Notice that the opening passage takes 
the reader easily from this world with its known laws 
into the realm of Wonderland where there is a reversal 
that keeps one more than guessing. Name in order the 
items about which Alice was "mixed up" beginning with 
the pun on the word "addressing." A selection like this 
stimulates the fancy and is good to remove the "crinkles" 
that come from the too great tyranny of facts. (Since 
both of Carroll's famous books can be had in very cheap 
editions, encourage children to read them outside of class.) 

AMERICAN FLAG, THE 

(Drake — IV — 242.) This selection consists of the first 
twelve lines of the poem entitled as above. Its object 
is to express the splendid significance of the flag and in 
order to do this imagery of a high-flown order is used, — 
imagery that suggests that the heart of the whole uni- 
verse itself is bound up in the combinations that make 
the flag. Notice the personification in the opening line. 
Where does Freedom dwell? This conception of Freedom 
as a mountain nymph is common in poetry. How were 
the stars arranged? the white stripes? the red? Read 
these lines over and over until the splendid color scheme 
of the heavens is vividly before the eye. Note the color 

10 



words, — azure, milky, etc. Into whose hands was the flag 
given? Do you see why Jupiter is indicated by calling 
him the "eagle bearer" instead of by naming him? If you 
have a manual of mythology at hand and will read what 
it says of Jupiter (Zeus) you may be able to see why he 
is called "mighty" and why he is a fit bearer of "the 
symbol of her chosen land." See if you can determine the 
special fitness of expressions like "robe," "gorgeous dyes," 
"milky baldric" (why is that better than "milky way"?), 
"streakings." 

ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN 

Born at Odense, Denmark, April 2, 1805; was very 
poor as a youth and was educated at the public expense, 
showed great talent early as a writer, and is the author 
of several romances of merit. He is, however, known to 
the world mainly as the author of a collection of tales 
for children which have been translated into many lan- 
guages. He is called "the children's friend." A splendid 
collection of his stories for children is found in the River- 
side Literature series published by Houghton, Mifflin & 
Co., Boston, Mass. Died in Copenhagen, August 4, 1875. 
Selections: II, 108; III, 32, 237; IV, 25. 

ANDREWS, MARY RAYMOND SHIPMAN 

A writer of fiction living at Syracuse, N. Y. Among 
longer stories she has written "Bob and the Guides" and 
"The Militants." She is most widely known as the author 
of "The Perfect Tribute,." most of which is given in the 
fifth reader (page 347). 

ARBUTUS, THE 

(Mulets— III— iQ2.) Can you tell, after reading the 
story through, in what part of the United States this lit- 
tle girl lived? Why was the arbutus an appropriate gift 
for Phyllis? If von have never seen the Arbutus, try 
to determine from the picture and from the text just how 
it looks. In what kind of places does it grow? Why do 
you suppose Whittier called these flowers "The first sweet 
smiles of May"? 

11 



ARIEL'S SONG 

(Shakespeare— IV — 4.) Ariel was the ethereal spirit 
by means of whom Prospero brought about his deeds of 
magic in the play called "The Tempest." This song is 
found in Act V, scene I, and expresses Ariel's sense of 
pleasure on hearing Prospero's promise to give him his 
freedom as soon as one more important event is brought 
about. It is hard to reduce it to meaning, in fact it con- 
tains one or two passages about which there has been 
much dispute. Commit it to memory and try to read it 
in the light, airy, happy manner that a being like Ariel 
would use as he sings. Notice that Ariel's idea of hap- 
piness is to rest in the midst of the blossoms of a per- 
petual summer, and that he proposes to follow Summer 
as it moves to other regions, using "the bat's back" as 
his vehicle for travel. Point out the expressions in the 
song that show the above is true. (Scientists tell us that 
bats do not migrate, but become torpid in winter. Do 
you suppose Shakespeare didn't know this, or didn't care?) 
If the teacher is familiar enough with "The Tempest" to 
tell the children some of the chief doings of Ariel, it 
will help them get into the spirit of this song. 

ARNOLD, MATTHEW 

Born at Laleham, near Staines, England, December 24, 
1822. His father was the famous Dr. Arnold, head-master 
of Rugby. He was educated at Rugby and at Oxford. In 
1851 he was appointed to an inspectorship of schools and 
held the position until 1885. In this trying position he 
gave much energy to setting examinations and grading 
papers, that might have gone into better work for the 
human race if he had not been under the necessity of 
such drudgery in order to make a living. He was Pro- 
fessor of Poetry at Oxford for a time, lectured in the 
United States, and was finally granted a pension for his 
services to literature. He died suddenly of heart-failure, 
April 15, 1888. 

Many of Arnold's papers on school matters were model 
reports and are yet stimulating reading. His poetry is 

12 



limited both in amount and in the scope of its subject- 
matter. It is pervaded by a melancholy tone, and lacks 
the bouyant tone of a Tennyson, or the energy of a 
Browning. The little poem called "Dover Beach" is 
often regarded as his masterpiece. Other well-known 
poems are "The Forsaken Merman," "Sohrab and Rus- 
tum," "The Scholar Gypsy," "Resignation." 

Arnold's authority as one of the sanest critics of mod- 
ern times is almost universally recognized. A number 
of volumes written in a very fine prose style contain his 
opinions on literature and on life. Among them may be 
mentioned "Essays in Criticism" (First and second series), 
"Literature and Dogma," "Culture and Anarchy." 

Selection: V, 321. 

ARROW AND THE SONG, THE 

(Longfellow — IV — 60.) In Longfellow's journal, under 
date of November "16, 1845, appears this entry: "Before 
church, wrote 'The Arrow and the Song,' which came 
into my mind as I stood with my back to the fire, and 
glanced onto the paper with arrowy speed. Literally an 
improvisation." The poem was published in Longfel- 
low's fourth volume, "The Belfry of Bruges and Other 
Poems," which appeared in the latter part of 1845. The 
poem is a splendid embodiment of the idea that the most 
unconsidered and aimless deeds may have the most im- 
portant and far-reaching consequences. In it Longfellow 
uses that favorite device of the poets, the presentation 
of truth by means of analogy. The first stanza tells of 
the sending forth of the arrow and what the poet thought 
became of it. The second, under the imagery of the 
arrow, tells of the sending forth of the song, or poem, 
and what happened to it. The third stanza indicates the 
error made, and tells what actually happened to both the 
arrow and the song. What four things are stated about 
the arrow in stanza 1? [(1) Sent forth into the air, (2) 
flew swiftly, (3) passed out of sight, (4) fell to earth.] 
What made the poet think the arrow fell to earth? Ob- 
serve that the order in which the above items are stated 

13 



is not the order in which they are given in the stanza. 
What points given in stanza 2 about the song, parallel 
those already given about the arrow? Is it natural to 
suppose that under the circumstances the song "fell 
to earth," that is, had no effect of any kind? After read- 
ing stanza 3, what correction must be made in the points 
given .about both the arrow and the song? What had 
happened to the arrow? to the song? Do you think all 
deeds, however aimless, have consequences if we could 
but know? Ar>d if so, ought a recognition of that fact to 
increase our sense of responsibility? 

ARTHUR'S PRAYER 

(Hughes — IV — 141.) This selection is a portion of the 
first chapter of the second part of "Tom Brown's School 
Days," with some editorial adaptations. Thoma.3 Hughes' 
"Tom Brown's School Days" and "Tom Brown at Ox- 
ford" are two of the most noted books for boys of the 
last century and if accessible should be recommended for 
complete reading. The first is particularly fine for a pic- 
ture of the life at a large public school for boys in Eng- 
land, as it used to be, a life that is very foreign to any- 
thing that is found in America. The book also gives a 
splendid account of the wonderful influence exerted upon 
his boys by the great Head Master, Dr. Thomas Arnold. 
Notice that he is referred to in the selection given in the 
reader. 

The chapter quoted from has as its title, "How the 
Tide Turned," and sets forth a crisis and a turning point 
in Tom Brown's life. This is indicated by the mottoes 
selected by the author for the second part and for the 
first chapter. The motto for Part II is from Tennyson 
and is given in this form: 

"I (hold) it truth, with him who sings 
To one clear harp in divers tones, 
That men may rise on stepping-stones 

Of their dead selves to higher things." 

The chapter motto is from Lowell's "The Present 
Crisis": 

14 



"Once to every man and nation, comes the moment to 

decide, 
In the strife of Truth with Falsehood, for the good or 

evil side: 

Then it is the brave man chooses, while the coward 

stands aside, 
Doubting in his abject spirit, till his Lord is crucified." 

Study these two quotations carefully and then try to 
state their connection with the events told in the selec- 
tion. Describe the scene at the beginning. Do you know 
how Arthur felt? Try to make it clear. What appeal 
did he make to Tom? What especially centered the atten- 
tion of the boys on Arthur? What roused Tom to in- 
dignant action? After all had retired why could Tom not 
go to sleep? Try to state the terms of his problem or 
conflict. What was the result of all his thinking? Did he 
do a very difficult thing? Why was it difficult? What 
was the great lesson he learned? 

Jackets. A short coat. Jackets for boys throughout 
the first half of the nineteenth century came only to the 
waist. — Snivelling. Whining. Used as a term of the ut- 
most contempt. — Sixth form. The word "form" refers to 
a class or rank of pupils, somewhat as our word "grade" 
does. — Rugby. One of the most famous of the preparatory 
schools of England. — Arnold. Thomas Arnold (1795- 
1842) was head-master at Rugby from 1828 until his death. 
— A still, small voice. See I Kings, 19, 12. — Words of the 
publican. See Luke, 18, 10-14. — Conquered his own cow- 
ard spirit. See Proverbs, 16, 32. 

AT MORNING 

(Stevenson — IV — 155.) One of the best known and 
most suggestive of the prayers composed by Robert Louis 
Stevenson for the family altar in his far-away home in the 
Southern Pacific. Commit to memory and try to make its 
brave spirit your own. W T hat are the things that are peti- 
tioned for? 

15 



AT THE MONUMENT 

(Nicholson — V — 210.) This poem is a good example of 
the sonnet. A sonnet is a poem of fourteen lines, with a 
certain arrangement of the rimes. The lines are arranged 
in two groups: (1) A major group of eight lines, called 
the octave, made up of two quatrains, (2) a group of six 
lines, called the sextette, made up of two tercets, or three- 
line groups. The rime scheme is as follows: abba, 
abba; cdcdcd. 

The octave tells a little story, or presents a situation. 
The sextette draws a conclusion, or indicates the signifi- 
cance of the situation. What is the story told in the 
opening lines? What kind of monument is referred to? 
The events that are commemorated mean no more to the 
child than "some fable of the skies"; why? The sextette 
answers this question. Why is the speaker moved by 
what he notices? The inability of the child to realize 
the realities, the tragedy, of human life, shows that she 
is akin to Wordsworth's "little cottage maid" who could 
not realize the fact of death. With years will come the 
disillusionment. She is now in "sweet ignorance of 
wounds and scars." What does the monument mean to 
her? 

BALDWIN, JAMES 

An American author and compiler of text-books. Born 
in Hamilton County, Indiana, 1841. Educated in the com- 
mon schools, teacher, and superintendent of schools at 
Huntington, Ind. Was connected with the educational 
department of Harper & Bros., 1887-90; assistant editor 
of Harper's Magazine, 1890-93; school-book editor for 
the American Book Co., 1893 — . In addition to various 
books of an educational nature he compiled two of the 
most widely known series of readers, Harper's Readers 
and the Baldwin Readers. 

Selections: II, 152; IV, 158. 

BANKS, GEORGE LINNAEUS 

An English poet, orator, and journalist, born in 1821, 
died in 1881. He published several volumes of verse, some 

16 



plays and burlesques, many popular songs, and a well- 
known poem, entitled "What I Live For," one stanza of 
which is given in the third reader (151). This poem 
has often been ascribed (wrongly) to other authors. 

BARBAULD, ANNA LETITIA 

An English poetess of some note, and the author of 
several books for children. She was born in Leicester- 
shire, June 20, 1743, and died at Stoke Newington, March 
5, 1825. Selection: IV, 152. 

BAREFOOT BOY, THE 

(Whit tier— IV— 224.) This is one of the best known of 
Whittier's poems, simple m style, and throwing a halo of 
wonder and romance about the simple joys of boyhood. 
Who is ihe speaker? Is the poem written from the stand- 
point of the boy or from that of a man who has long 
passed beyond his childhood? The poem certainly re- 
flects the feelings of a man of middle-age, who, in the 
midst of his trials and troubles, comes across a happy 
youngster, as yet innocent of the difficulties of life. If 
so, why have this poem in a book for children? It is 
a well established fact that we do not always realize our 
blessings at the moment of possession, and the poem 
ought to stir the reader to a fuller consciousness of the 
joys that are really his. 

Ere it passes, barefoot boy!" 
"Ah! that thou couldst know thy joy, 
Describe the boy as he appears in the first paragraph. 
Dees the poet make you see him clearly? What is meant 
by "kissed by strawberries"? Note that the second para- 
graph asserts the superiority of the boy's situation to that 
of the "grown-up" and to the millionaire possesor of this 
world's goods. The grown-up man is only one among 
many equals; the boy is free from limitations, — a prince. 
In what does he surpass the "million-dollared"? 

In the third, fourth, and fifth paragraphs the speaker 
expresses his longings for the splendid possessions of the 
boy, and in a way realizes his desires by losing himself in 

17 



the joys mentioned. The third paragraph points out that 
the boy is "part and parcel" of the joy of nature. What 
four gifts are mentioned under this head? (i. Play, what 
kind? 2. Sleep. Explain "that wakes in laughing day." 
3. Health. How does it mock "the doctor's rules"? 4. 
Knowledge. What kind of knowledge?) Do you know 
all the things that this boy knew, as, for instance, "how 
the tortoise bears his shell"? or how the hornet's nest is 
built? If you do not, maybe by a little closer attention 
and observation you could get closer to nature than you 
are. 

The fourth paragraph expresses the sense of owner- 
ship on the part of the boy toward everj'thing around 
him. The world is a "complex Chinese toy" made for him. 
To what month of the year is the period when this feel- 
ing exists likened? Why? Mention the experiences 
which contributed to this sense of complete ownership? 
(Apples of Hesperides. A reference to one of the twelve 
labors of Hercules, in which he secured the golden ap- 
ples from the garden guarded by the hundred-headed ser- 
pent. Read the story in Hawthorne's "Wonder Book.") 

The fifth paragraph describes the glories attending the 
close of the day of busy enjoyment, — the feast and its 
joyous pomp. Picture the scene clearly. Where is the 
boy? What is he doing? Notice the sunset colors. In- 
dicate the parts of the "regal tent." Notice that all this 
pomp, — the banquet, purple curtains, orchestra, brilliant 
illumination is explained by the presence of the "mon- 
arch." Notice that the speaker has gradually lost sight 
of the fact that he is "grown-up" and has lost himself in 
the remembered experiences of his boyhood. 

In the final paragraph are certain exhortations and good 
wishes. Certain unpleasant experiences that are sure to 
come are hinted at. Have you ever tried to walk over a 
"flinty slope" or a "new-mown sward"? Can you think 
of things in life that such experiences may typify? What 
is meant by "prison cells of pride"? Would one who had 
never gone barefooted realize the meaning of this? The 
hope is expressed in closing that these feet may never 

18 



be on "forbidden ground" and may not sink in "quick and 
treacherous sands of sin." Try to put in your own lan- 
guage what these expressions mean. 

This poem has no regular stanza structure. The lines 
are four measures in length, the measure used being 
trochaic. The last measure lacks the unaccented syllable. 
The rhythm is indicated by the following: 

Bless'ing | on' thee, | lit'tle | man' 
Bare'foot I boy', with I cheek' of I tan' ! 

BATTLE OF THE ANTS, THE 

(Thoreau— V— 34.) This passage is from "Walden," 
the most widely read of Thoreau's books. The book gets 
its name from the pond on the shores of which Thoreau 
lived for a time. The record of his experiences, the facts 
of his every day life, but especially of his thoughts and 
feelings, constitute the material of his book. "Walden'* 
was published in 1854. The Battle of the Ants is one of 
the familiar pasages and has been used in many readers 
with slight changes, as in this case, from the original. 

"The style of this piece is an imitation of the heroic 
style of Homer's Tliad,' and is properly a 'mock-heroic' 
The description of the affairs of the ants with the same 
elevated style that one would treat the affairs of men 
gives the effect of a 'quiet humor.' This is, in fact, often 
a characteristic of Thoreau's style. His 'A Week on the 
Concord and Merrimac Rivers' borrows its grandeur of 
style from Homer's 'Odyssey' to describe the unromantic 
incidents of a ride in a small boat down a small, slug- 
gish river, for a few miles. The intention of the author is 
twofold: half seriously endowing the incidents of every- 
day life with epic dignity, in the belief that there is noth- 
ing mean and trivial to the poet and philosopher, and that 
it is the man that adds dignity to the occasion, and not the 
occasion that dignifies the man; half-satirically treating 
the human events alluded to as though they were non- 
heroic, and only fit to be applied to the events of animal 
life." 

19 



Follow carefully all the happenings told of. Have you 
ever studied the habits of ants? It is worth while to 
spend some time when you have accidentally disturbed 
an ant hill, in watching the tremendous energy displayed 
as the members of the tribe hurry about, each one appar- 
ently with some important work to do. It will not be 
difhcult to get to the point where you can say with 
Thoreau: "I was myself excited somewhat even as if they 
had been men. The more you think of it, the less the 
difference." 

Duellum. A Latin word meaning a fight between two 
persons. — Bellum. The Latin for war, and as the context 
here shows, meaning a fight between two nations, or par- 
ties. — Myrmidons. According to legend the warlike race 
over which Achilles ruled. They accompanied him to 
Troy. — Internecine. Terribly destructive. — Red republic- 
ans . . . black imperialists. Thoreau alludes to the 
French Revolution. The first were the revolutionists, the 
second those in favor of the Empire. Red has always 
been the symbol of freedom. — To go by the board. A 
term borowed from sea life, meaning to go over the side 
of the ship. What does it mean here? — With his shield 
or upon it. The Spartan mother, the legend goes, gave 
her son a shield when he was ready to start to war, with 
these instructions. It suggests that no disgrace was 
greater than to return alive, having lost the battle. — 
Achilles. In the "Iliad" we are told that Achilles sulked 
in iiis tent on account of what he deemed an injustice at 
the hands of the Greek commander. When he heard that 
his dear friend Patroclus had been killed, he vented his 
wrath and fury on Hector and the Trojans. — Austerlitz or 
Dresden. Two of the great battles of the Napoleonic 
wars, the first fought in Dec. 1805, and the second in Aug. 
!8i3- — Concord Fight. For numbers and carnage, as 
Thoreau indicates, not to be mentioned as a parallel. The 
names are those of participants in the Concord fight; 
Davis and Hosmer the two men killed, Butterick, the 
commander. — Three-penny tax. Review the history of the 
Boston Tea Party. — Carbuncles. His protruding eyes 

20 



glistened like the stone of that name.— Trophies at his 
saddlebow. Whittier in "Snow Bound" tells of a certain 
band of Greeks, who, during the war against Turkey, in 
1821, rode with "A Turk's head at each saddle bow." 
Thoreau refers to some such story. 
BEECHER, HENRY WARD 

.Born in Litchfield, Conn., June 24, 1813. He was edu- 
cated for the ministry and after pastorates at Lawrence- 
burg and Indianapolis, Indiana, was called to Brooklyn, 
where he labored the rest of his life. During the Civil 
War he did the nation great service in England. In ad- 
dition to his published sermons and newspaper writings 
he wrote a novel called "Norwood" from which two or 
three passages have often been used in readers. An adap- 
tation of one of these passages is found in the second 
reader, page 58. Beecher died March 8, 1887. 

BEHIND TIME 

(Hunt — V — 20.) A good example of a concrete sermon. 
What catastrophe is told of in the first paragraph? To 
what was it due? What was the situation in the great 
battle referred to in the second paragraph? What was 
the result? State the commercial catastrophe told of in 
the third paragraph? What caused it? What is the con- 
clusion from these illustrations of what is constantly 
taking place in life? What is the positive virtue that 
should be cultivated? Comment on the statement: "Five 
minutes in a crisis is worth years." 

BENNETT, HENRY HOLCOMB 

A magazine writer living in Chillicothe, O., where he 
was born in 1863. Has written extensively in regard to 
army life in the West, where he lived for several years, 
and also on bird and animal topics. He is a water color- 
ist of merit and illustrates his own articles. Selection: 
HI, 157. 
BETTER WAY, THE 

(Anon. — III — 182.) A very simple little poem, that 
should be committed to memory. The first four lines in 



21 



each stanza state the point at issue without any figura- 
tive language. The last two lines in each stanza use very- 
suggestive images to picture the thought. The unkind 
thing has the same effect upon the spirits as the gather- 
ing clouds upon the sunny day. Why use the word 
"leaden"? The pleasant report is compared in its effects 
to the lighting up of the cloudy day. Why use the word 
"golden"? Do you agree with what the poem says about 
good and evil report? If you know of anyone who needs 
the lesson of this poem you might try to take it to him. 

BIG GAME 

(Murry-Aaron — IV — 85.) An information lesson in 
study of which certain facts about alligators are brought 
out. What are these facts? The selection is written on 
a familiar plan, that of having some young folks who do 
not know much take a trip with a wise man who lectures 
to them and demonstrates the truth of his propositions. 
The Doctor uses the word "jiffy" in one of his speeches. 
What does it mean? Would it be correct outside of col- 
loquial language? 

BILL OF FARE, THE 

(Field— II— 40.) What is a "bill of fare"? Why do we 
always have such good things to eat on Thanksgiving? 
What time of year is this holiday? Why do we always 
have a turkey? What is the day really for? Why should 
we be very happy on that day? Should we try to give 
enough thanks then to last a whole year? 

BINGHAM, MADGE A. 

Author of "Mother Goose Village," a splendidly illus- 
trated book for children, published by Rand, McNally & 
Co., Chicago. 

Selection: III, 1. 

BIRD KING'S GIFTS, THE 

(Anon.— Ill— 13.) The growth of interest in Japan, 
since that country has taken her place as one of the 
powers of the world, has extended to all phases of her 

22 



life. The many striking fairy stories familiar to the peo- 
ple there have been used as the basis for translations and 
adaptations for children of the western world. Many of 
these can be used by the teacher on account of the sim- 
ple and direct art of the narrative, and on account of the 
value of the moral teaching so plainly suggested. As in 
mcst fairy stories this moral concerns itself with rewards 
that come for kindly deeds done towards birds and ani- 
mals and human beings, as well as toward the fairies 
themselves. One of the best of these collections is called 
"Japanese Fairy Tales," compiled by Yei Theodora Ozaki, 
and published in a cheap form by A. L. Burt Company, 
New York. 

In the study of such a narrative as this under consid- 
eration the main thing to do is to cultivate the power of 
the child to grasp all the essential points in the story and 
to see the justice meted out to all parties concerned. As 
usual it is clear here that riches do not bestow either kind- 
liness or happiness upon their possessor, and that sel- 
fishness is likely to bring about its own undoing. Con- 
trast the situations of the two brothers in possessions 
and in happiness. What gave the elder brother a chance 
to show how mean he was? What gave the younger 
brother and his family a chance to show how good they 
were? What reward was sent them? Do you suppose 
they expected any. reward? What wonderful surprise re- 
sulted from the seed? When he heard of this, what did 
the elder brother do? Tell what came of it? Do you 
think he ought to have been punished so severely? Do 
you like the fortunate brother any better for the way he 
treated the cruel brother? Do you know what it means 
"to heap coals of fire" on another's head? Is this story 
a good example of that? (Read Proverbs, xxv. 21, 22.) 

BIRD OF WASHINGTON, THE 

(Butterworth — IV — 71.) John James Audubon was a 
noted ornithologist, born at New Orleans in 1780, and 
died at New York in 1857. His chief work was called 
"Birds of America" and is famous for its fine drawings. 

23 



It was published at $1,000.00 a copy. As the selection in- 
dicates he was unsuccessful in establishing himself in 
business and gave his life finally to pursuing the strong 
bent of his nature, — interest in birds. The selection deals 
with his efforts — finally successful — to secure a specimen 
of the American Eagle. Where did he first see one? 
What made him think of it as a good symbol of the Re- 
public? What failure is told of? When he finally secured 
a specimen what did he decide to call it? Why? Where 
had eagles been used as national emblems before? Do 
you know why Franklin objected to the common eagle 
as the symbol? (He said it was a thief, and dirty.) 

BIRD'S NEST, A 

(Hurdis — IV — 216.) These few lines from a practically 
forgotten poet of the eighteenth century express well the 
wonder that must impress itself upon any one who really 
notices the perfect work which the bird does by instinct. 
Notice that the first sentence expresses the result of his 
observation. The second sentence asks you to look at 
the nest from his point of view, — as a result achieved with 
the beak alone. To make this result stand out the more 
prominently he calls attention to what the bird did not 
have. Name these and tell what each could have done. 
What word in the final clause of this second sentence ex- 
presses the cause of his admiration? Notice as final 
reason for his wonder the fact that human ingenuity 
could not equal the bird's efforts, even if (1) the work- 
man were skilled, (2) had every possible appliance, and 
(3) had had twenty years experience. Does this last 
sentence really ask a question? (It is that form of figura- 
tion expression called an "interrogation," in which an 
affirmation is emphasized by putting it in the form of a 
question.) 

BIRD VILLAGE, THE 

(Given— II— 132.) Why did the boys wish to finish 
their work by spring. Would not any time do as well? 
How did they know when spring came? Why did they 
not make all three houses alike? What did they show by 

24 



their manner of fashioning the house? Why did they 
take the trouble to make their bird houses? What reward 
did they hope for? What rent did the blue bird pay? 
Did he know he was paying rent when he sang to his 
mate? Commit his song. 

BLAKE, WILLIAM 

Born in London, November 28, 1757; died there August 
12, 1827. His "Songs of Innocence" were published in 
1787, and the "Songs of Experience," designed as a com- 
panion volume, in 1794. Blake was both poet and painter. 
An engraver by profession, he hit upon the method of 
giving his books to the world by a new process. He 
engraved both text and illustrations in a single scheme 
of ornamental design and enough copies were printed 
from these plates to supply the very limited demand. 
The lack of appreciation in his own day made this a 
necessary plan of publication. Blake's genius was a 
strange one. He worked only in the simplest material 
of life, and his outlook has the directness ancl simplicity 
of a child. He dreamed dreams and saw visions and was 
pretty generally regarded as more or less insane by his 
contemporaries. At the present the critical tendency is 
to regard Blake as one of the first embodiments of the 
so-called Romantic spirit which, at the close of the 
Eighteenth Century, was breaking down the formal 
standards of the classical school and coming back to Na- 
ture. He was a thorough mystic, and his later produc- 
tions belonged to the class of Prophetic books. Four or 
five of his short poems are widely known: "Piping Down 
the Valleys Wild," "The Lamb," "Night," and "The 
Tiger." The last is the selection found in the Fourth 
Reader, page 50. 

BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT, THE 

(Saxe — IV — 16.) This is one of Saxe's finest satires. 
It presents one of the commonest of human shortcomings, 
the tendency to feel sure that our own limited under- 
standing of things is really the whole truth, which in 
turn, is pretty sure to lead to a stubborn intolerance of 

25 



other views. What led the six men to go to see the 
elephant? (Notice the conventional expression, "It was" 
with which ballads and naratives often begin. What is it 
equivalent to?) Tell what experience each had in regard 
to the elephant, and what conclusion each drew. Observe 
that the last two lines of each stanza are of the nature 
of a conclusion. Is it important to be sure you have all 
points of view before drawing definite conclusions? What 
lesson ought this story to teach us? (To add interest 
and bring out the idea more prominently, try the experi- 
ment of taking some irregularly shaped object, which the 
children have not observed, have them shut their eyes, 
touch it, in turn, and then try to describe it. Then let 
them look at the object and see if they have done any 
better than the blind man with the elephant.) 

BLUE AND THE GRAY, THE 

(Finch — V — 211.) This poem has been and is justly 
popular because of its beautiful appeal to the generous 
impulses of humanity. It grew out of a news item in the 
"New York Tribune" and when first published in "The 
Atlantic Monthly" in September, 1867, it had this item 
prefixed: "The women of Columbus, Mississippi, ani- 
mated by nobler sentiments than are many of their sisters, 
have shown themselves impartial in their offerings, made 
to the memory of the dead. They strewed flowers alike 
on the graves of the Confederate and of the National 
Soldiers." Why is the poem called "The Blue and the 
Gray?" Notice that the news item explains the opening 
lines, the reference to the Mississippi (the inland river), 
and the gun boats that plied its waters during the war. 
What is the idea which the refrain constantly emphasizes? 
Notice the order of development: Stanzas 1 and 2, the 
waiting armies asleep. What contrasts? What likeness? 
Stanza 3, the deed and the. doers. What hints of their 
state of mind? Stanzas 4 and 5, nature's impartiality. 
Stanza 6, the quality of the deed. The 2nd and 6th 
stanzas are closely connected. Would the natural tend- 
ency be toward "upbraiding"? Why? Why was it a 

25 



"generous" deed? "Storm of the years that are fading" 
refers to the four years' strife of the war. What figure? 
"No braver battle was won;" do you agree? Stanza 7, 
the effect of such a deed. Nowadays we have reunions of 
Blue and Gray. 

BLUEBIRD, THE 

(Miller— II— 196.) The bluebird, one of the earliest 
that comes in the spring, may be regarded as the mes- 
senger or forerunner of that season, and as such is here 
introduced. Spring being the period of new life and 
regeneration is pre-eminently a time of cheer, and the 
bird voices that sentiment in its song. Why is he a 
"brave little fellow?" What is meant by line five? Lowell, 
speaking of the bird in "The Vision of Sir Launfal," says 
"And lets his illumined being o'errun." 

The flowers addressed in the last stanza, it may be 
noted, appear in the early spring. Each is individualized 
by a special appeal. What about the crocus causes the 
reference to its "eyes?" The color of the violet is 
thought of as a "mantle of purple and gold," a metaphor. 
The joy of living should be the experience produced by 
this song. 

BOASTING BAMBOO, THE 

(Peltier — III — 1S8.) Have you noticed in Japanese 
pictures how often you see the sacred mountain of 
Fujiyama- This little story starts with a picture domi- 
nated by that mountain. Describe the scene. What was 
the way in which the message was brought to the poet? 
What was the lesson? The story begins with the con- 
clusion and then goes back to the earlier events upon 
which that depends. In what way are the trees like hu- 
man beings you have known? The language in this little 
fable is especially attractive. Select some of the finer 
passages. For instance: "Lady Moon could lay no silver 
path over the water." Did you ever look across a body 
of water toward the moon? Notice those details that 
give characteristic touches of Japanese life. 

27 



BOATS SAIL ON THE RIVERS. 

(Rossetti — III — 81.) A simple expression of the super- 
iority of the beauties of nature to those of the works of 
man. What contrasts are set forth in stanza I? In 
stanza 2? 

BOB WHITE 

(Cooper — III — 253.) A breezy little poem, with a poetic 
explanation of the quail's joyful whistle. Can you imitate 
his call? Where does he sit? Why is the word "zigzag" 
used? What tells you the season? What explanation is 
proposed in the second stanza? How is it corrected by 
the third? In reading the refrain of each stanza try to 
utter the words to the tune used by the quail. 

BOLTON, SARAH T. 

Through an evident confusion of similar names the 
poem on "Indiana" in the fifth reader is attributed to 
Sarah K. Bolton instead of the. above. The biographical 
note in the back of the reader also refers to the wrong 
author. Sarah T. Bolton was born in Newport, Ky., in 
1820, the family soon after moving to Madison, Ind. 
Here she married the editor of a local paper to which she 
had become a contributor. After the panic of 1837, the 
Boltons, for a time, kept a tavern on the National road, 
west of Indianapolis. Mr. Bolton was afterward cus- 
todian of the old State House and Mrs. Bolton had leisure 
to devote herself to poetry. Her best known poem is 
"Paddle Your Own Canoe." She died at her home in 
Indianapolis in 1893. 

BOYHOOD OF FRANKLIN, THE 

(Gordy — IV — 100.) Every boy should read Franklin's 
"Autobiography," of a portion of which this selection is 
a simplified version. It is not only one of the greatest 
autobiographies from the standpoint of its style, but it 
is especially valuable for inculcating the more common 
and necessary principles of everyday living. Tell the in- 
cidents, one after the other, that are given. What traits 
of character are brought out most prominently? Which 

28 



ones, do you think, are especially worthy of emulation? 
What were some of Franklin's rules of conduct? What 
was "Poor Richard's Almanac"? Quote the maxims 
given from it? Can you quote any others not given here? 
What achievements of Franklin can you mention in the 
fields of statesmanship, diplomacy and invention? 

BOY'S SONG, A 

(Hogg — III — 186.) What kind of boy do you think 
it is that speaks? What was his "chum's" name? Were 
they together much? What kind of things were they in- 
terested in? What, characteristics in some other boys 
that he knew was he unable to understand? Do you 
like the music in this poem? 

BREAK, BREAK, BREAK. 

(Tennyson — V — 191.) This is one of the most beautiful 
lyrics in the language. A lyric is the expression of some 
powerful emotion that possessed the writer. In this case 
Tennyson is giving expression to the blighting grief that 
came with the sudden death of his friend Arthur Hallam. 
He has sung this grief in many ways. The most notable 
is found in his long lyric sequence called "In Memoriam." 
"Break, Break, Break" was published in the volume of 
1842, and the poet says it was "made in a Lincolnshire 
lane at 5 o'clock in the morning between blossoming 
hedges." Commit the poem and try by many repetitions 
to come into touch with its power. Imagine clearly the 
situation, — a man bowed down with grief at the awful 
visitation of death which has taken away his dearest 
friend, standing on the shore of the ocean with its steady, 
deadening roar as it monotonously breaks on the rocks. 
"The sound of the sea upon the shore is melancholy 
when it is not terrifying. The sense of the unutterable 
oppresses great hearts, at times; especially in the presence 
of mountains, the sea, death. Shakespere makes Cleo- 
patra in her last hour have 'immortal yearnings.' Ma- 
dame Roland on the scaffold wishes for a pen to write 
down the thoughts that arose in her. The pictures so 

29 



deftly suggested of the children on the shore, the merry- 
sailor in his boat, the procession of tall ships with tiering 
canvas, bring out by contrast the infinite sadness of the 
sea, — the sea, that separates like death." (MacMechan.) 
Notice how the speaker's sense of dumbness in his great 
grief is expressed in stanza I. Notice how the climax 
comes with the cry of agony at the close of stanza 3, 
the joyful pictures of ordinary activity in the world 
serving to impress the terrible sense of loss by contrast. 
And then notice how the poem shades off in the final 
stanza into lines of grace and tenderness equal to the 
clay that is gone forever. 

BROOK, THE 

(Tennyson — V — 59.) This poem was first published in 
a volume called "Maud and other Poems," in 1855. The 
stanzas given here are portions of a much longer poem, 
although they are a unit in themselves and are generally 
printed by themselves in readers and other compilations. 
Their setting, in brief, is as follows: Lawrence Aylmer, 
after an absence of twenty years in India, has returned to 
the scene of his early life in England. Sitting by the 
side of the familiar brook and recalling certain events of 
his youth, he saj'.s that here he parted from his poet 
friend Edmund, who went to Italy in a vain search for 
health. Edmund had made a song in which the brook 
expressed itself, and as Lawrence goes on with his remi- 
niscences he quotes this song in groups of stanzas, four 
in number. These groups are easily recognized as each 
one closes with the line 

"But I go on forever." 
Thus the brook flows through the poetic landscape as 
through the real one, adding music and a background to 
an idyllic story. 

Notice that the brook speaks. — Haunts. Places much 
visited. — Coot and hern. Kinds of waterfowl — Sally. 
Dart forth. — Bicker. "Originally meant to 'skirmish,' and 
here expresses the tremulous agitation of the stream." — 
Thorps. Clusters of houses. — Philip's farm. In ths story 

30 



Philip is the talkative old farmer whose daughter Katie 
is the center of an interesting love affair. — Chatter. The 
fourth stanza is a line example of sound echoing sense. — 
Sharps and trebles. High notes. — Fret. Wear away. — 
Fallow. "Ploughed land left untilled." — Fairy foreland. A 
small projection of land, — Willow-weed and mallow. 
Names of plants which grow in marshy places. — Grayling. 
A kind of fish. — Waterbreak. Ripple. — Covers. Under- 
growth, forming shelter for game. — I gloom, I glance. 
"Pass into shadow and then suddenly into sunlight." — 
Netted. "Forming a network as it shines through the 
overhanging branches." — Shingly. Of coarse gravel. 

The first three stanzas give in general the course of 
the stream. In what kind of place does it rise? How 
can you tell? What kind of country does it flow through? 
Do you suppose there were just thirty hills? or twenty 
thorps? or half a hundred bridges? (These are examples 
of the use of a definite for an indefinite number.) What 
comparison with men is made in the third stanza? How 
many times is this repeated in the poem? 

The second group of three stanzas deal mainly with the 
noise made by the brook and seem to center around the 
word "chatter." Pick out all the expressions that in- 
dicate sounds, or that give any characteristic trait of the 
brook. 

The third group of three stanzas tell what the brook 
carries along with it on its winding way. Name these 
things. 

The fourth group of four stanzas follow, in the com- 
plete poem, the happy culmination of the love affair. Do 
they seem to be in keeping with that idea? How does 
the brook make the sunbeams dance? What causes the 
stream to "linger" and "loiter?" "His (Tennyson's) 
descriptions of nature exhibit two qualities distinct in 
essence, though sometimes combined. One appears in 
his landscape-painting: it is the gift of selecting salient 
features and composing them into an artistic picture.... 
His other great quality as a nature-poet is seen in the 
treatment of detail — in vignettes where the result of 

31 



minute and keen insight is made to live before us in 
some magical phrase.. ..(His) English is always pure and 
idiomatic.. . .One of his aims was to recall expressive 
words which had fallen out of common use. (For in- 
stance, the word "thorps"). . .His melody, in its finer 
secrets, eludes analysis; but one element of it, the delicate 
management of vowel-sounds can be seen" in such lines 
as 

"I bubble into eddying bays, 
I babble on the pebbles." 

BROTHER FOX'S TWO DINNERS 

(Harris — III — 50.) Who tells this story? What in- 
vitations were received by Mr. Rabbit and Brother Fox? 
How did Mr. Rabbit make up his mind which to accept? 
What state of mind was Brother Fox in as to where he 
would go? Tell how Mr. Rabbit passed Brother Fox. 
Give an account of Mr. Rabbit's experiences at the bar- 
becues. Did he find out why Brother Fox did not ap- 
pear at either? Why was it? Do you find anything 
"funny" about the way Brother Fox acted? Flave you 
ever known anybody like him? (Contrast Mr. Rabbit 
and Brother Fox as types of character.) — Notice the many 
familiar and colloquial expressions. Consider especially 
the meaning of these: "once upon a time," "barbecue," 
"stroke of work," "passed the time of day," "shote," 
"giblets," "to settle my dinner," "two hours by sun," 
"a-frying," "licking his chops" — A canebrake is a thicket 
of canes. 

BROWN, ABBIE FARWELL 

A well-known writer for children, living in Boston, Mass. 
Among her books are "The Book of Saints and Friendly 
Beasts," "In the Days of Giants," "The Flower Princess," 
"Brothers and Sisters." 

Selection: II, 64. 

BROWNING, ELIZABETH BARRETT 

Probably the greatest woman poet the world has pro- 
duced. She was born near Durham, in the north of Eng- 

32 



land, March 6, 1806. While still a child she wrote verses, 
and could read Homer in the original at eight years old. 
At fifteen she met with an accident while saddling her 
pony which made her practically an invalid for life. The 
Barretts moved to London in 1835. In 1846 Elizabeth 
married the poet Robert Browning and this marriage 
proved one of the happiest on record, and those poems 
written by each in honor of the other are among the 
noblest expressions of love in the language. The Brown- 
ings went to Italy in 1847, and lived at Florence until 
Mrs. Browning's death, — June 29, 1861. "Her purely 
lyrical utterances, like the 'Sonnets from the Portuguese' 
and such poems as 'The Sleep/ 'Cowper's Grave/ 'A 
Musical Instrument/ 'The Cry of the Children' — to name a 
few of the chief — form perhaps her greatest achievement.. 
But learned poems — if we may so call them — like 'Wine 
of Cyprus' and 'A Vision of Poets/ novel-poems like 
'Lady Geraldine's Courtship' and 'Aurora Leigh,' and 
romantic ballad poems like the 'Rhyme of the Dutchess 
May,' are all in their kind of the very greatest excellence." 
(Elizabeth Lee.) "The Sonnets from the Portuguese" — ■ 
a great sonnet-sequence — place her along with Shakes- 
peare, Milton and Wordsworth, as a master of that most 
difficult form of poetry. She was interested in all the 
great problems and reforms of her day and her "Cry of 
the Children" remains to this day the clarion voice calling 
the world to a neglected duty. In recognition of her 
great services in behalf of the Italian struggle for liberty 
the municipality of Florence placed a tablet on the house 
she occupied with this inscription by the Italian poet 
Tommaseo. 

Here lived and died Elizabeth Barrett Browning, 
who in her woman's heart reconciled the science of 
learning with the spirit of poetry and made of her 
verse a golden ring between Italy and England. 
Grateful Florence places this tablet, 1861. 

BROWNING, ROBERT 

Born in Camberwell, London, May 7, 1812, was well 
educated and early developed a liking for books, and 

33 



especially for the acquirement of out of the way knowl- 
edge. It is probably the introduction of this ma- 
terial into his poetry that has so often given rise to the 
charge of wilful obscurity. He married, in 1846, Eliza- 
beth Barrett, the poet, and they lived, until her death in 
1861, chiefly in Florence, Italy. Browning's work is 
voluminous, the most convenient form in which it is to 
be had probably being the Cambridge edition in one 
volume published by Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston, 
Mass. His favorite form of composition seemed to be 
the dramatic monologue. Died in Venice, December 12, 
1889, on the same day that his last volume, "Asolando," 
was published in London. Mrs. Orr's Life and Letters 
of Browning is a standard authority, while Sharp's Life in 
the English Men of Letters series is a briefer and handier 
volume for the ordinary reader. Berdoe's "Browning 
Cyclopaedia" is a valuable explanatory handbook. Selec- 
tions: II, 30; IV, 131; V, 7, 206, 310, 317. 

BRYANT, WILLIAM CULLEN 

Born at Cummington, Mass., November 3, 1794; showed 
skill early in composing verses; studied law; wrote 
"Thanatopsis" in his eighteenth year; became connected 
with "The Evening Post," New York City, in 1825; made 
editor-in-chief in 1828, which position he held until his 
death, June 12, 1878. The authorized edition of his poetry 
is published by D. Appleton & Company, New York City. 
His translations of the Iliad and the Odyssey are pub- 
lished by Houghton, Mifflin & Company, Boston, Mass. 
The authoritative memoir is by his son-in-law, Parke 
Godwin, while a briefer and more readable life is found 
in the American Men of Letters series by John Bigelow. 
Selections: V, 18. 

BUILDER'S LESSON, A 

(O'Reilly — V — 84.) What is the question asked at the 
beginning of the poem? What is the general answer? 
All the rest of the poem is an elaboration of the idea in 
the second line. State the comparison to the threads. 
To the building. What principle is stated in the second 

34 



paragraph about the ease with which we can back out of 
a habit? What comparison is used to illustrate the prin- 
ciple? Does the waste in wrong habits consist merely in 
the forming of them or partly, at any rate, in the use of 
great stores of energy in order to break them? (See last 
paragraph.) What end in life makes necessary this great 
effort? What final illustration makes clear the method? 
This is a splendid little poem to set forth the tyranny of 
habit, and thus to impress a sense of the importance of 
proper direction of effort. Probably the saddest fact 
about humanity is not its lack of energy, but its tremen- 
dous waste of energy. 

BUNNER, HENRY CUYLER 

Born at Oswego, New York, August 3, 1855, entered 
journalism in 1873, later became editor of "Puck," which 
position he retained until his death at Nutley, New Jersey, 
May 11, 1896. One of his poems, "One, Two, Three," has 
found its way into numerous collections intended for 
children, and appears in the second reader, p. 164. 

BUNYAN, JOHN 

The author of the greatest prose allegory in our 
language. He was born in 1628, at the little village of 
Elstow; in Bedfordshire, England. His father was a 
tinker, a mender of pans and pots, and the boy was 
brought up for the same humble occupation. His educa- 
tion was apparently confined to the merest rudiments and 
the Bible and Foxe's "Book of Martyrs" seemed to com- 
prise his reading, even in later life. A vivid and morbid 
conscience led him, upon conversion, to believe himself 
the most terrible of sinners. Visions of the miserable 
fate awaiting him took possession of his mind. With a sin- 
cerity and directness posssessed by few men he became 
one of the most effective of preachers. The homely 
illustration and the simple style of the Bible gave his 
writings a power as great as his spoken word,— with the 
additional advantage that they are available for the world 
at large. Shortly after the Restoration, in 1660, Bunyan 
was arrested for preaching without authority and spent 

35 



about twelve years in Bedford jail. A second and shorter 
period of imprisonment took place in 1675, and during 
this later period "Pilgrim's Progress" was probably 
written. It is the story of a journey from the City of 
Destruction to the Heavenly City. Under the "similitude 
of a dream" this wonderful book tells of the experiences 
that come to all who attempt to live the larger life. 
Bunyan lived in a period when the matter of "salvation" 
was of supreme importance in men's minds, and when the 
conflict between the ways of the "world" and the demands 
of "righteousness" seemed in irreconcilable opposition. 
''Pilgrim's Progress," next to the Bible, has been the most 
widely read of books, and it survives all changes and 
fashions of theology, because its power is in the genius 
with which it portrays what every reader recognizes as 
the essentials of his own struggle. Other books by 
Bunyan are, "Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners," 
"The Holy War," and "The Life and Death of Mr. Bad- 
man." He died in August, 1688. 
Selection: V, 41. 

EURNETT, FRANCES HODGSON 

Born at Manchester, England, in 1849. The family 
moved to Knoxville, Tenn., in 1865. After her marriage, 
Mrs. Burnett removed to Washington, where she has 
lived mainly since. She is the author of a large number 
of stories and plays that have enjoyed great popularity. 
Of books for younger people there are "Little Lord 
Fauntleroy," "Sara Crewe," "Little Saint Elizabeth." 
Other titles are "That Lass of Lowrie's," "A Lady of 
Quality," "The Dawn of a Tomorrow." 

Selection: IV, 61. 

BURNING OF MOSCOW, THE 

This descriptive sketch is one of the striking passages 
in Mr. Headley's "Napoleon and his Marshals." It has 
the qualities of exaggeration in language, the melodra- 
matic, which have made the book popular, and which are 
perhaps necesary in order to make much impression on 
the ordinary reader. The account refers to the burning 

36 



of Moscow by the Russians at the time the city was lying 
helpless before the all-conquering armies of Napoleon in 
September 1812. This ev.ent made necessary the dis- 
astrous retreat of Napoleon's forces. The Kremlin is the 
famous citadel of Moscow. 

The four paragraphs given present the scene from two 
points of view. First, two paragraphs tell what one in 
the city itself might see. Second, two paragraphs tell- 
how it looked from Napoleon's position. Enumerate the 
features mentioned in the opening paragraphs. Pick out 
the expressions that emphasize the terrible nature of the 
fire. What were the features that would impress one from 
the position occupied by Napoleon? Where was he 
located? What did he afterward say about it? How 
could such a scene of "woe and fear" be "sublime." 

BURNS, ROBERT 

Born in Ayrshire, Scotland, January 25, 1759. Though 
his family was poor, Burns was fairly well educated and 
his miscellaneous reading was considerable. His life was 
a grim fight with poverty, ill-luck, and the well-known 
weaknesses of character which beset him. Various unfor- 
tunate attempts at farming and some years spent as ex- 
ciseman in the revenue service comprise the main outward 
features of his life. Burns early began to write poetry 
and his reputation rests upon the fact that his lyrics are 
the direct outpourings of a heart essentially noble, full of 
pride and independence, and a wide, abundant sympathy 
for all things both great and small. It would require a 
long list to name all of his poems that have become as 
household words, but the list would certainly include "Tarn 
O'Shanter," "The Cotter's Saturday Night," "Honest Pov- 
erty," "Highland Mary/' "To Mary in Heaven," "Of a' the 
airts," "Sweet Afton," "John Anderson," "To a Mouse," 
"To a Mountain Daisy." Burns's health and spirits gave 
way under the hard stress of his experiences and he died 
at Dumfries, July 21, 1796, in his 37th year. Among the 
best brief discussions of his life and work may be men- 



tioned Shairp's life in the English Men of Letters, and 
Carlyle's famous essay. 
Selection: V, 108. 

BURROUGHS, JOHN 

One of the most delightful of American essayists, born 
at Roxbury, N. Y., April 3, 1837. His early life was spent 
in teaching, journalism, and as an official of the Treasury 
Department at Washington. For many years he has lived 
quietly in retirement at Esopus, N. Y., devoting himself 
to his favorite pursuit of observing nature and recording 
his conclusions. These conclusions embody as much of 
his own personality as of mere nature, and give his many 
essays that fine flavor that distinguishes them. Emerson, 
Whitman, and Matthew Arnold are the masters who have 
influenced him most. His works, in collected form, now 
number fifteen volumes, published by Houghton, Mifflin 
& Co., Boston. Among them are "Wake Robin," "Locusts 
and Wild Honey," "Fresh Fields" and "Sharp Eyes." 

Selection: V, 126. 

BUTTERFLY HUNTERS, THE 

(Murray-Aaron — V — 85.) A science lesson cast in the 
form of a story in which the Doctor makes clear some 
very interesting things to some boys who see, but do not 
understand what they see, until shown how. Where did 
these observations take place? What did the boys see 
that they did not understand? Tell all that they found 
out. — Pestiferous. Annoying. — Such a lesson as this ought 
to stir up greater enthusiasm in the matter of studying 
the many facts in the natural world around us, and can 
be used as the starting point in much effective elementary 
science work. 

BUTTERWORTH, HEZEKIAH 

Born at Warren, R. I., in 1839. He was a well-known 
writer of books and poetry for young people. For many 
years he was a prominent member of the editorial staff 
of "The Youth's Companion." Among his popular books 

38 



are "Zigzag Journeys," "A Knight of Liberty," and "The 
Boyhood of Lincoln." tie died in 1905. 
Selections: IV, 71; V, 144. 

BUTTS, MARY F. 

Selections: II, 46; III, 20. 

BYRON, GEORGE NOEL GORDON, LORD 

Born in London, June 22, 1788. Was lame as the result 
of deformed feet and this fact had much to do in making 
him morbid throughout his life. His whole career was 
eccentric, wild, and turbulent. While at Cambridge he 
wrote "Hours v of Idleness" and in retaliation for the 
severe criticism which appeared in the Edinburg Review 
he wrote his famous satire called, "English Bards and 
Scotch Reviewers." "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage" is the 
most famous of his longer poems, while the "Prisoner of 
Chillon" is perhaps the best known of his briefer poems. 
He was much interested in the Greek war for independ- 
ence, and went to that country to espouse its cause. He 
died at Missolonghi, Greece, April 19, 1824. His life by 
Nichol is found in the English Men of Letters series. 

Selections: V, 51, 257. 

CABIN IN THE FOREST, THE 

(Butterworth — V — 144.) This selection tells an incident 
in the life of the famous naturalist Audubon. Observe 
that it is practically all in Audubon's own words. Tell 
the story in detail. What features of the country im- 
pressed the speaker? What customs and habits of life 
are mentioned that belong to pioneer life ? What part did 
the wounded Indian play in the story? The dog? What 
led to the naturalist's escape? Jerked buffalo meat. Long 
strips of meat cured by drying over a fire or in the sun. — 
Flints .... primings. Did you ever see an old flint-lock? 
You can find a picture, maybe, in the dictionary or in an 
encyclopedia. 
CALLING THE QUAIL 

(Sharp— IV--250.) What facts about the life history 
of the quail are brought out in the first paragraph? What 

39 



one in the rest of the selection? Tell clearly what the 
observer noticed. Probably some member of the class 
has seen the same thing. Can you make the sounds de- 
scribed? Does this selection make you sympathize more 
or less with quail hunting? — Bevy. This word suggests 
an interesting study in synonyms. The following is from 
the Century dictionary: "Flock is the popular term for 
birds of many sorts; it is applied by sportsmen especially 
to wild ducks, geese, and shore-birds. Herbert applies 
gaggle to geese; Colquhoun applies it to geese swimming; 
it is not used in the United States. Covey is applied to 
several kinds of birds, especially partridges and pinnated 
grouse. Pack is applied to the pinnated grouse in the 
late season when they go in "packs" or large flocks. Gang 
is applied to wild turkeys, wisp to snipe, bevy to quail, 
sedge to herons. Brood applies to the mother and her 
young till the latter are old enough for game." 

CAMEL AND THE PIG, THE 

(Anon. — II — 82.) What sort of a feeling prompted the 
camel to pride himself on his height? Did the pig likely 
have the same feeling when he expressed pleasure at 
being short? What agreement did they come to? How 
did the camel prove being tall was a great advantage? 
How did the pig prove being short was an advantage? 
If they had kept their word what would have happened 
after the camel had his breakfast over the wall? What 
would have happened after the pig had his breakfast 
under the gate? Had they after all proven anything? 
Why was it a foolish agreement? 

CANDLE-MAKING AT THE COOLIDGES' 

(Stone -Fickctt— TV — 186.) This selection enables the 
child to understand a bit of domestic economy that be- 
longs to a past time. Interesting comparisons may be 
instituted between present methods of lighting and those 
of the past. We can buy candles at the store, but they 
are not made of tallow nor by the methods described in 
this selection. They are made from the products of 
petroleum. Why was Patience so interested in the 

40 



matter? Follow the process closely and be able to tell 
just what steps were necessary. Why do you suppose 
Governor Winthrop had more light at his house than 
the Coolidges had? Why did they need a '"snuffer tray 
and snuffers"? What satisfaction did Patience have from 
her candle? 

CAREFUL OBSERVER, THE 

(Colton — IV — 75.) This passage is taken from the 
noted old book called "Lacon, or Many Things in Few 
Words." It is clear that Sherlock Holmes had his pro- 
totype in far-a-way times and lands. What made the mer- 
chants think the dervish had stolen their camel? What 
did they do with him? What was the result of the trial? 
If he was neither a liar nor a thief, how could his certain 
knowledge be accounted for to the minds of the mer- 
chants? What explanation did he give of the mystery? 
Was it any mystery at all? What trait of mind does his 
explanation show he possessed? Does it seem reasonable 
to you? Do you observe things as carefully as the 
dervish did? Dervish. A Mohammedan monk. — Cadi. A 
Turkish village-judge. — Sorcerer. A magician, one pos- 
sessing supernatural powers. 

CARLYLE, THOMAS 

One of the greatest and strangest of original writers 
and ethical teachers. He was born in the little Scottish 
village of Ecclefechan, in 1795. As the eldest of nine sons 
he was intended by his parents for the church and was 
brought up under the strict conditions of the life of his 
day. He was a hard student, apt in the classics and, 
especially, in mathematics. He tried teaching and dis- 
liked it. He found himself out of sympathy with the 
orthodoxy of his day and soon gave up any plans for the 
ministry. His intense, sham-hating mind tended toward 
gloominess, and this was intensified by his dyspepsia, 
"gnawing like a rat at his stomach." He became in- 
terested in German literature and translated Goethe's 
"Wilhelm Meister" and other representative selections 

41 



from modern writers. In 1826, Carlyle married Jane 
Welsh and they settled on a lonely farm at Craigenput- 
toch. Here for six years he lived and toiled at his great 
masterpiece, "Sartor Resartus." His unusual and uncouth 
style at first shut him off from the public, but the vitality 
of his message soon forced the world to listen. In 1834 
the Carlyles moved to Chelsea, a surburb of London, and 
here he lived until his death in 1881. His "History of the 
French Revolution" in 1837 gave him an assured place 
among our great writers. Other books by Carlyle are 
"On Heroes and Hero Worship, " "Past and Present," 
"Cromwell's Letters and Speeches," "History of the Life 
and Times of Frederick, commonly called the Great." 
(The chief biographer of Carlyle is the historian, J. A. 
Fronde. Shorter and reliable accounts are those in the 
English Men of Letters series by- J. Nichol, and in the 
Great Writers Series by Richard Garnett.) Carlyle was 
not a poet, and hence the little verses (V, 22) do not give 
much idea of his real qualities. 

CARROLL, LEWIS 

(See Dodgson, Charles L.) 

CARY, ALICE 

Born near Cincinnati, Ohio, April 20, 1820; began to 
write at an early age; removed in 1852 to New York 
where she resided, until her death, February 12, 1871, with 
her sister — Phoebe, who was born September 24, 1824, 
and died July 31, 1871. The work of the two sisters was 
very closely connected, Phoebe, however, writing less 
than her sister, the care<s of the home largely devolving 
upon her. Phoebe is the author of the famous hymn, 
"One Sweetly Solemn Thought." The authorized edition 
of the poems of Alice and Phoebe Cary is published by 
Houghton, Mifflin & Company, Boston Mass. Selections 
are found as follows: Phoebe, III, 21' Alice, III, 772; IV, 
105. 

CAT AND THE FOX, THE 

(Grimm — II — 21.) Do you think the cat in a pleasant 
friendly humor when she greeted the fox? What was the 

42 



fox's manner when he returned her greeting? What 
unkind name did he call the cat? Are both cats and 
foxes afraid of dogs and hunters? Are foxes tricky ani- 
mals? What kind of a spirit was the fox showing when 
he answered the cat's question in regard to dogs and 
hunters? When the fox asked the cat how many tricks 
she had was her answer true? Was it a modest answer? 
When the dogs and hunters come what spirit does the 
cat show toward the fox? What was the trouble with 
the fox's tricks? Why was the cat's a good one? Did 
the cat deserve to get away? How about the fox? 

CAT, THE MONKEY AND THE CHESTNUTS, THE 

(Aesop — II — 12.) How are chestnuts usually roasted? 
Are cats fond of nuts? Are monkeys? Who most desired 
the chestnuts, the cat or the monkey? How did the 
monkey flatter the cat? What was the result of the flat- 
tery? Who got the nuts? Who got the burns? Have 
you ever heard of one. person making a cat's paw of 
another? What does that mean? 

CAT AND THE MOUSE, THE 

(Anon. — II — 114.) Do you think the cat bit off the 
mouse's tail to be cruel? When the mouse asked for her 
tail what was the reply? To how many people did she 
have to go before getting her tail? Who was the last 
one? What promise was made the baker? Name the 
articles the mouse had to get and the persons for whom 
they were gotten? Did the. mouse get her tail as soon 
as she took the milk to the cat? Why? Where was the 
tail? What did the mouse do as soon as she got her tail? 
Hew do you think she felt? 

CAVALCADE, A 

(Tabb — III — 59.) An interesting little fancy. On some 
windy day take some thistle-down and start such a caval- 
cade as mentioned here, repeating the lines as the down 
flies away. Cavalcade. A group or procession of knightly 
figures on horseback. 

43 



CERVANTES SAAVEDRA, MIGUEL DE 

A great Spanish poet and novelist, born in 1547, died at 
Madrid, 1616. His early life is uncertain, but it is clear 
that he was well educated. His whole life was a fight 
with poverty, and until 1584, full of the adventures of a 
soldier's career. It is said that he began to write "Don 
Quixote" while in prison. The first part of this famous 
book was published in 1605, and the second part in 1615. 
He wrote many other works and according to his own 
account "twenty or thirty plays." "Don Quixote" is one 
of the few absolutely great books and is discussed under 
the selection taken from it called "The Fight with the 
Windmills." It is interesting to note that the date of 
Cervantes' death is the same as that of Shakespeare, 
April 23, 1616, but since there was a difference of ten days 
between the Spanish and the English calendars, he did 
not die on the same day. 

Selection: V, 132. 

CHAMBERED NAUTILUS, THE 

(Holmes — V — 130.) This poem appears at the close of 
chapter IV of "The Autocrat of the Breakfast Table" and 
was first published in the "Atlantic Monthly" for Febru- 
ary, 1858. The popular and critical judgments practically 
agree that it is the best poetry Dr. Holmes every wrote, 
and he himself v/as of the same opinion. "Booked for 
immortality," Whittier is reported to have said upon 
reading it. The poem is preceded in the "Autocrat" by 
some sentences which are valuable as suggesting the con- 
ception of the poem: — "Did I not say to you a little while 
ago that the universe swam in an ocean of similitudes and 
analogies? I will not quote Cowley, or Burns, or Words- 
worth, just now, to show you what thoughts were sug- 
gested to them by the simplest natural objects, such as a 
flower or a leaf, but I will read you a few lines, if you 
do not object, suggested by looking at a section of one 
of those chambered shells to which is given the name of 
Pearly Nautilus. We need not trouble ourselves about 
the distinction between this and the Paper Nautilus, the 

44 



Argonauta of the ancients. The name applied to both 
shows that each has long been compared to a ship, as you 
may see more fully in Webster's Dictionary, or the 'En- 
cyclopaedia' to which he refers. If you will look into 
Roget's Bridgewater Treatise, you will find a figure of 
one of these shells and a section of it. The last will show 
you the series of enlarging compartments successively 
dwelt in by the animal that inhabits the shell, which is 
built in a widening spiral. Can you find no lesson in 
this?" 

What is the analogy which the poet has discerned and 
which forms the subject of the poem? (The growth of 
the soul and the growth of the nautilus.) Notice that the 
poet seems to be looking at the shell as he writes. What 
are some of the fancies which he associates with the 
shell? Give a clear picture of what he sees as you get 
it from the poem. Point out the respects in which the 
growth of the soul is like the growth of the shell. Is the 
growth of the soul held in mind by the poet the state in 
which we actually find the soul or the state in which we 
ought to find it? Does a recognition of this fact help us 
to attain the ideal of the poet? How? What are the 
leading emotions produced by this poem? (Wonder, 
beauty, worth, aspiration?) What value, as you see it, 
is such a poem to humanity? — Critical: What is the real 
subject of this poem? What relation does it bear to the 
subject stated? Is the concrete object or story well 
fitted to express the deeper thought? — The following from 
Noble's "Studies in American Literature" (Macmillan & 
Co., New York) will serve as the basis for a full explana- 
tion of "The Chambered Nautilus": 

"Study this poem as an example of the meditative na- 
ture lyric. It is written with no apparent reference to 
any idea of its being sung. It is not a song in that sense. 
But it has the lyrical quality of emotion, in a quiet, peace- 
ful, meditative form, somewhat after the manner of 
Wordsworth. It has also very clearly the lyrical quality 
of expressing the poet's personality. We are interested 
in what the writer thinks and feels about the shell, rather 

45 



than in the shell itself. The thought and feeling are those 
cf the scholar and modern scientific thinker, rather than 
of the simple observer of nature. The poet is first re- 
minded of the classical fables about the nautilus. Then 
his thought passes to the facts of the life of the shellfish, 
and beautifully personifying them, he proceeds to draw his 
lesson, making the observed facts of the animal's life the 
basis of a beautiful and suggestive analogy. The form of 
the lyric is interesting, especially for its close connection 
with the progress of the thought. Notice the structure 
of the stanzas. The measure is iambic, with lines of 
varied length. First a pentameter line, then two trime- 
ters, two pentameters, a trimeter, and an alexandrine at 
the end. Each of the five stanzas is devoted to a clearly 
denned stage of the thought. The fabled fancies about 
the nautilus, the shell as it lies before the poet, the life 
that once occupied the now empty shell, the fact that it 
brings us a message, and the message that it brings. A 
closer study will show us that each line carries a com- 
plete thought, and that the longer and shorter lines are 
closely adapted to the thought they have to express. 
Especially noteworthy is the way in which the thought 
of each stanza culminates to its fullest expression in the 
long, sonorous alexandrine line with which it closes. The 
familiar expedients of alliteration and assonance are used 
in this poem, but not in such a way as to be conspicuous. 
Notice especially lines 4, 11, 19. The great beauty of the 
poem is in the pure, ennobling thought it contains, and 
the impression it leaves upon the spirit of the reader. 
The interest of the form consists in the power with which 
each word and line is made to work toward this final 
impression." 

St. 1. Ship of pearl. So-called because of the former 
supposition that it was furnished with a kind of mem- 
brane ("purpled wings living gauze") which en- 
abled it to sail upon the water. — Why "unshadowed" 
main? — Siren. "Muses of the sea and of death, who by 
their sweet singing enticed seafarers to destruction." — ■ 
St. 2. Irised ceiling. Inside wall of cell is rainbow-hued.— 

46 



Crypt. A vault under a church. These were sometimes 
used as chapels and sometimes as places of burial. The 
poet uses the word figuratively, referring to the closed 
chambers of the cell. — St. 4. Triton. "The son of Nep- 
tune and Amphitrite, trumpeter of Ocean. By his blast on 
the shea-shell he stirred or allayed the waves." — The 
idea of the final stanza may be illustrated by drawing on 
the board a line outlining a large dome. Then draw right 
under it a small dome. By a succession of enlargements 
this latter may be made to approach and finally coincide 
with the larger dome. — Does "outgrown shell" refer to 
the physical body or to the thoughts and emotions which 
we have outgrown? 

CHAUCER, GEOFFREY 

The first great English poet, born in London, in 1340, 
and died there in 1400. He was well educated and early 
in life connected with the aristocratic court life as a page 
in the household of Prince Lionel. Was captured by the 
French in the military expedition of 1359 and while a 
-prisoner there evidently became much interested in the 
typical work of the period from which came his own 
"Romance of the Rose." His early work, dominated by 
the French style, is called his French period. After his 
release he was sent on some kind of official business to 
Italy and caught the spirit of the Italian Renaissance, 
and may have met Petrarch. His later life was mainly 
spent in London in various official capacities. In these 
later years he wrote his master-piece, one of the great 
poems of all time, "The Canterbury Tales." In it we 
have nearly all phases of English society represented. 
A group of pilgrims are on the way to the shrine of 
Thomas a' Becket of Canterbury, and to while away the 
time each is to tell two stories going and two on the re- 
turn trip. Only about one-fifth the number planned were 
written. Chaucer had a wonderful grasp of certain phases 
of life and he knew how to tell a story. One of the most 
read of these stories is"The Nun's Priest's Tale," the 
second of the Canterbury series, and a simple version of 

47 



this — nor Chaucer's, it should be noted — is given in the 
second reader, page 98. 

CHICKEN'S MISTAKE, THE 

(Cary — III — 21.) The first six stanzas tell the story 
and the last three state the lesson to be derived from it. 
Tell the story of the chicken. What did the chicken want 
to do? Why? What did the old hen say to her? Why 
didn't the chicken believe her mother? What happened? 
What does the story show, (1) that our attitude ought to 
be toward those who are more experienced than our- 
selves? (2) as to our own special place in life? Read the 
lines which answer each of these final questions. 

CHILD'S THOUGHT OF GOD, A 

(Browning — V — 237.) This is an expression of the 
mysterious recognition of the divine presence in all things 
— the immanence of God. The first two stanzas bring out 
the point that you can not find God apart from the facts 
of the universe through which his glory shines. What 
does the first stanza tell you? the second? What does 
the third stanza suggest about his presence? What does 
the fourth stanza suggest about the way God comes into 
our consciousness? What comparison in the fifth stanza? 
Does it seem to you a good comparison? This is the 
kind of poem that you need to read again and again, and 
brood over, until you feel yourself making its words your 
own. Especially notice that the God thought of here is 
tender and loving. 

CHILD'S PRAYER, A 

(Edwards — II — 128.) Commit this poem to memory. 
What is the purpose of a light? Can a life have the same 
purpose? What is it in the flower that makes it a joy to 
all? Can a life have the same thing in it? What would 
a child's "native bower" be? What are songs for? May 
a life have the same purpose? Does the singer enjoy his 
song? Can a child reap the happiness of its own useful- 
ness? What is a staff used for? Are there always some 
people that are stronger than others? What is the duty 
of the strong to the weak? 

48 



CHINESE STORY, A 

(Cranch — IV — 81.) What dispute arose between Chang 
and Ching? How did they agree to settle it? What ad- 
vantage did Ching take? What did he find out by this? 
What had Chang put off the test for? What advantage 
did he take? What did he learn? Is the expression 
"honest fellows" used literally or ironically? What dis- 
pute arose when the day for the test came? To whom did 
they leave the matter? What was his explanation? How 
do you suppose the two felt after hearing it? Did either 
have any ground for criticising the other? Do you see 
any quality in these two Chinamen that seems to be like 
anything in the attitude of most disputants? Were they 
really anxious to find out the truth, or more concerned 
about beating the opponent? Chopsticks. Small tapering 
sticks of wood or ivory, resembling a lead pencil, but 
longer, used instead of knives and forks by the Chinese 
and Japanese. — Optics. Eyes. — Palm. The prize. The 
palm was the symbol of victory in a contest in olden 
times. — To take time by the forelock. An expression 
which means to be ahead of time. Its explanation is said 
to be that old Father Time is represented as an old man, 
quite bald, with the exception of a single lock of hair on 
the forehead. — Mandarins. Chinese officials. This selec- 
tion is a good example of a humorous treatment of one 
of the commonest of human foibles. A good way to 
correct these is to let their possessor see how ridiculous 
the qualities really look. 

CHRISTMAS TREE, THE 

(Varney — III — 82.) Children take great delight in en- 
dowing with human faculties the various things with 
which they deal, — inanimate objects and lower forms of 
life To their minds no violence is done by this, and the 
fact that they do not feel any unreality about it is the 
justification of such a story as this for use at the Christ- 
mas season. Tell where the little tree grew and what its 
surroundings were. How did the tree and the birds en- 
joy each other? What suggestion did the birds make to 

49 



it? Why did the tree finally decide it would like to be a 
Christmas tree? Why was it chosen? Tell about the 
Christmas celebration. Why did the tree enjoy it? What 
had it done that everyone ought to do? 

CHRISTMAS AT THE LIGHTHOUSE 

(Anon. — II — 95.) Where are light houses always lo- 
cated? Why was May frightened when she first saw the 
light house? What were the many steps for and why did 
they go round and round? Where were the stockings 
hung? What made this experience so strange for May? 
Did Santa Claus come? What evidence did they have of 
his visit? 

CHURCH, ALFRED JOHN 

Born in 1829. Educated at London and Oxford. A 
prominent English educator and the author of a number 
of books, mainly translations and adaptations of material 
from the great classic writers. 

Selection: V, 139. 

CHURCH, FREDERICK STUART 

A prominent American artist, born in Grand Rapids, 
Mich., in 1842. He is a painter of figures and animals. 
The little ''skit" found in the third reader (page in) car- 
ried illustrations by the author in its original publication 
and these are especially interesting. 

CIRCUS IN THE BARN, THE 

(Anon. — II — 148.) What was the price of admission to 
the circus ? Describe the grand parade and tell what the 
different animals really were. What were the two real 
animal performers in the circus? What did the goat do 
that was unexpected? What was the result? 

CLOUGH, ARTHUR HUGH 

An English poet, born in Liverpool, in 1819. Some 
years of his boyhood were spent in Charleston, S. C, but 
in 1828 he was placed in school at Rugby under Dr. Ar- 
nold. He was a student at Oxford and later a fellow at 

50 



Oriel from 1843 to 1848. He gave up this fellowship on 
account of his inability to accept the religious views in- 
volved and became an examiner under the Education De- 
partment. On account of his spiritual conflicts and some- 
what gloomy cast of mind, his life impresses one as in- 
volving much tragedy. He died while on a tour of Italy 
in 1861. He is best known by a few short poems like "Say 
not the Struggle Naught Availeth" and "Qua Cursum 
Ventus." 

Selection: IV, 220. 

CLOVER 

(Tabb — IV — 116.) We get so accustomed to the mar- 
vels of nature all about us that, sometimes, we take them 
as matters of course and lose the sense of wonder at the 
mysteries wrapped up in the commonest things. Father ' 
Tabb's little poem ought to help us recover some of this 
lost feeling. Who are the "little masters"? Why so 
called? In what attitude doe? he stand before them? 
What does this attitude indicate? How long does he 
propose to stand so? Why "threefold" mystery? What 
does the poet long to know? What is the question of the 
third stanza? What are the sky and the sunshine called? 
(Gossips are wise old women who take care of new-born 
infants.) What is the question of the fourth stanza? In 
the old story the Genie (wonder-worker) could bring 
forth out of a little seed the most wonderful figures and 
cause them to disappear again in the seed. How does the 
last stanza suggest the humility of the inquirer in the 
presence of the unsolved mystery? 

COCK AND THE FOX, THE 

(Chaucer — II — 98.) Are foxes and roosters friendly as a 
usual thing? What are the main characteristics of the 
fox? What of a rooster? Chanticleer, (meaning a clear 
singer) the old name used instead of cock or rooster — 
Why would the cabbage-bed be a good place for the fox 
to hide in? What would the cock likely be in the 
cabbage-bed for? What plan did the fox use to get the 

51 



ear and sympathy of the cock? What was the result? 
Why did all the animals make a noise when the fox ran 
off with the cock ? What idea came into the cock's mind 
that saved him? Was the cock's method the same as the 
fox's? What was the result of the cock's experience in 
the way of wisdom? What was the result of the fox's 
experience in the way of a lesson? Were these animals 
well-matched in wits? 

COLERIDGE, SAMUEL TAYLOR 

Born at Ottery St. Marys in Devonshire, England, 
October 21, 1772, educated at Cambridge, served a while 
in the arm}'-, and wrote in connection with Wordsworth 
"The Lyrical Ballads." His poetry is distinguished by 
the presence of the weird and superstitious, as may be 
noted by reading "The Ancient Mariner" and "Christabel." 
The former is on the list of college entrance require- 
ments in English. Coleridge was a student of German 
philosophy and criticism and has justly been given credit 
for the introduction of the higher or philosophical 
method into English critical literature. The reports of 
lectures upon Shakespeare, and other great writers, while 
fragmentary, are very stimulating. He died at Highgate, 
July 25, 1834. Satisfactory collections of his works are 
found in the Bohn Library. Life by Traill in the English 
Men of Letters or by Hall Came in the Great Writers 
series. Selection: V, 269. 

COLERIDGE, SARA HENRY 

Daughter of the poet, Coleridge. Born at Keswick, in 
1803 and died in 1852. She did considerable literary work 
including a tale called "Phantasmion," and "Pretty Les- 
sons for Good Children." 

Selection : II, 28. 

COTTON, CALEB CHARLES 

Name should be written as above, according to the title 
page of his "Lacon." He was born at Salisbury, Eng- 
land, about 1780, and died by his own hand at Fontaine- 
bleau, France. He was educated at Eton and Cambridge. 

52 



He had a passion for gambling and had to leave England 
to escape his creditors in 1828. He spent some time in 
America and then made his way to Paris where he is 
said to have made an immense amount of money by suc- 
cessful play. His death grew out of dread of an impend- 
ing surgical operation. His most famous book was called 
"Lacon, or Many Things in Few Words," first published 
in 1820. "It is one of the most excellent collections of 
(ethical) apothegms in the language." A selection from 
this work is given in the fourth reader, page 75. 

COLUMBUS 

(Miller— V— 306.) As a preparation for the study of 
this poem it would be well to read chapters II and III 
of the third book of Irving's "The Life and Voyages of 
Columbus." Of course the poet has simplified the story 
by making Columbus the immovable type of determina- 
tion and singleness of purpose. 

(1) Notice how the appeals of the mate keep the seem- 
ing hopelessness of the voyage before you. Do things 
seem worse with each successive appeal? (2) Is there 
anything about Columbus and his single reply that re- 
minds you of Longfellow's hero in "Excelsior"? (3) What 
was the "spray of salt wave" in lines 11 and 12? (4) 
"How is the loneliness of their situation suggested in the 
third stanza? (5) Do you like the figure in lines 26-28? 
(6) Consider the comparison in line 31. (?) Does the 
finding of land seem especially fitting after such a spirit 
as Columbus has shown? Does it come at an especially 
appropriate time? (8) Is line 37 to be taken literally, or 
is it a- poetic fancy? (9) Study the meaning of line 38. 
(10) What was the grand lesson Columbus gave the 
world he had gained? (n) Do you find this poem of a 
dramatic, stirring quality? 

(These suggestions for study are taken from Curry's 
"Literary Readings," by permission of the publishers, 
Rand, McNally & Co., Chicago.,) Azores. These islands 
are about 800 miles west of Portugal.— Gates of Hercules. 
The Straits of Gibraltar. They were supposed, in ancient 

53 



times, to mark the end of the world, and to have been 
split apart by the Greek hero Hercules. — Shows his teeth. 
The dashing waves were crested with foam. 

CONCORD 

(Emerson — V — 274.) Emerson's title and sub-title are 
as follows: "Concord Hymn: Sung at the completion of 
the Battle Monument, April 19, 1839." This hymn was 
as the sub-title indicates, written to celebrate the comple- 
tion of the monument which commemorates the fighting 
at the bridge with which the battle of Lexington opened. 
It is probably the most widely known of Emerson's 
poems, and two lines, the third and fourth of the first 
stanza, have passed into household words. Noble 
("Studies in American Literature") comments on these 
lines thus: "The one long word 'embattled' puts the 
fight before us, and the terse monosyllables of the last 
line hit the mind like bullets. The story of the immeasur- 
able results following from our war of independence is 
all suggested in that compact line, and it fastens itself 
upon the memory with a grip that is hard to shake off." 
Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes in his "Life of Emerson" 
says: "Of all Emerson's poems the 'Concord Hymn' is 
the most nearly complete and faultless, — but it is not dis- 
tinctly Emersonian. It is such a poem as Collins might 
have written, — it has the very movement and melody of 
the 'Ode on the death of Mr. Thomson,' and of the 'Dirge 
in Cymbeline,' with the same sweetness and tenderness 
of feeling. Its one conspicuous line, 'And fired the shot 
heard round the world,' must not take to itself all the 
praise deserved by the perfect little poem, a model for 
all of its kind. Compact, expressive, serene, solemn, 
musical, in four brief stanzas it tells the story of the past, 
records the commemorative act of the passing day, and 
invokes the higher Power that governs its future to pro- 
tect the Memorial stone sacred to freedom and her 
martyrs." 

— What do you learn from stanza 1? Could the last 
line be literally true? Explain just what it means. (Mr. 

54 



Noble's note above.) What do you learn from stanza 2? 
To whom does "foe" refer? "Conqueror"? Would it not 
be well to add a fourth point to the analysis made by Dr. 
Holmes and insert it second in order: "Indicates the 
changes that have taken place"? This gives a reason for 
the monument. How may memory redeem their deed? 
(Hold in loving recollection— thus compensating for the 
sacrifice.) To what is the appeal of the last stanza made?. 
What is the appeal? Wnai does the last line tell you 
about the purpose of the monument (shaft)? What feel- 
ing does this poem awaken in you toward the "heroes" 
who dared to die? — St. 1. Embattled. Drawn up in battle 
array, ready for battle. — St. 2. Soft stream. Placid, quiet, 
gentle. — Votive. Dedicated by a vow, i. e. in this stone is 
seen our vow of allegiance to the principle of liberty for 
which our sires fought. — Notice the personifications in 
stanzas 2 and 4. 

COOPER, GEORGE 

* Selections: III, 197; IV, 253. 

COOPER, JAMES FENIMORE 

The first novelist in American literature whose books 
are still popularly read. He was born in Burlington, New 
Jersey, Sept. 15, 1789. Shortly after the family settled on 
a great tract of land in New York, and Cooperstown was 
the home of Cooper until his death. At the age of thirteen 
he was sent to Yale but left before graduating. Ambitious 
to go into the navy, he made a voyage in a merchant 
vessel and. acquired that intimate knowledge of sea life 
which he used so exclusively in one group of his books. 
After three years in the navy he resigned, and having 
married, settled down to the life of a country gentleman. 
According to the oft-told story his first book grew out of 
bis disgust with an English novel he was reading. This 
first novel was of no consequence, but Cooper learned 
that he could tell a story, and his second book "The. Spy" 
was one of his greatest works. Of the long list of books 
which he wrote, the following selections grouped accord- 
ing to character may be helpful: 

55 



1. The Leather-Stocking Tales. These comprise five 
titles and should be read in the following order to get the 
full story of the central character: "The Deerslayer," 
"The Last of the Mohicans," "The Pathfinder," "The 
Pioneers," "The Prairie." 

2. Tales of the Sea. "The Pilot" and "The Red Rover" 
are probably the best stories of this group. 

3. Tales of Colonial and Revolutionary History. "The 
Spy" is the best known, and deservedly so, of this group. 
"Lionel Lincoln" has in it what Bancroft declared was 
the best account ever written of the battle of Bunker 
Hill. 

Cooper was much given to controversy and unfortunately 
spent much good effort in that direction. His style has 
about all the faults possible in matters of detail, but his 
powers of narration and vividness of description are so 
great that the reader does not notice the faults. (The 
best account of Cooper may be found in the life by 
Lounsbury, in the American Men of Letters series.) 

Selection: V, 241. 

CORN SONG, THE 

(Whittier — IV — 129.) This song is one of the poems in- 
the group called "Songs of Labor" written in 1845 and 
1846. These songs of labor are especially interesting be- 
cause they enshrine in poetry fovms of labor that have 
now practically disappeared in the presence of modern 
industrial development. The last song in the group is 
"The Huskcrs" and it gives a vivid aecount of an old 
fashioned "husking bee." At last in the course of the 
evening's work and merriment 

"Urged by the good host's daughter, a maiden young and 

fair, 
Lifting to light her sweet blue eyes and pride of soft 

brown hair, 
The master of the village school, sleek of hair and smooth 

of tongue, 
To the quaint tune of some old psalm, a husking-ballad 

sung." 

56 



A.nd this selection gives you the words of his ballad. 
Picture the background of the song, the heaps of corn on 
the floor of the old barn, the lanterns swinging overhead, 
the old men in one corner relating their stories of the 
past, the children jumping and rolling over the piles of 
corn, and the young people in a group, with their merri- 
ment, which increases whenever a red ear happens to 
make its appearance. Does this seem a fitting song for 
such an occasion? Why call the corn a "a wintry hoard"? 
Can you explain the last two lines of stanza I? (Accord- 
ing to a mythological story the goat's horn was endowed 
with the power of furnishing its possessor with an abund- 
ance of what he desired, and so has become the symbol 
of plenty.) What contrast is stated in the second and 
third stanzas? Why call the corn a "hardy gift"? State 
the steps in the history of corn as given in stanzas four 
to eight inclusive? Explain the following expressions: 
"changeful April," "robber crows," "soft and yellow hair,^ 
"frosted leaves." Do you know which is the "harvest" 
moon? What compliment does the last step in the history 
of the corn give the singer a chance to pay? (Stanzas 9 
and 10.) With what contrast does he approach the com- 
pliment? Explain "homespun beauty"? What do the last 
three stanzas do? (i. They shame the scorner of the 
simple delights of farm life. 2. Assert the superiority 
of corn over other products of the earth. 3- Return 
thanks for the "golden corn.") Vapid. Empty headed.— 
Samp. A kind of hominy.— Wide old kitchen hearth. Can 
you find anything like this in a modern house? (If you can 
find a picture in some magazine or in some book about 
early New England life it will help those who have no ex- 
perience to build upon.) This poem is especially good in 
connection with the present day feeling that it would be 
wise -to emphasize the advantages of a "return to the 
soil. 2 ' Whittier mav be a little too scornful in the ninth 
stanza since empty-headedness is not the sole possession 
of the well-to-do but he is certainly right in emphasizing 
the virtues of a less complex way of living. 



57 



COWPER, WILLIAM 

Born at Great Berkhamstead, England, in November, 
1731. He was a man of the most sensitive nature, given 
to fits of melancholia. Any kind of mental strain, due to 
contact with the hard facts of the world, was likely to 
throw his mind off its balance. He finally came under 
the care of a friend who shielded him from such contact 
and made it possible for him to do his work. This work 
was of great importance, and Cowper ranks as one of the 
great figures in the early stages of the Romantic move- 
ment in English literature. His long masterpiece is called 
"The Task," and while it is not read as a whole certain 
passages from it are found in nearly all collections. The 
"Olney Hymns" contain some of our most familiar 
hymns, such as, "There is a fountain filled with blood," 
and "God moves in a mysterious way." "John Gilpin's 
Ride" is a humorous masterpiece not likely to lose its 
flavor. "On Receipt of My Mother's Picture" is noted for 
its pathos. Cowper died April 25, 1800. 
Selection: IV, 184. 

CRADLE SONG 

(Anon. — II — 57.) This is one of the favorite lullaby 
songs for children. It combines the beauty of fanciful 
conception with the music of sound. There is a rocking 
melody in the verse that appeals very strongly to chil- 
dren. From the little touch of reality in the line that tells 
the father is a shepherd, the fancy wanders to the 
mother's occupation which at that moment is, singing the 
baby to sleep. The figure of the dreamland tree is so 
delicate that too much analysis is apt to destroy its beauty. 
Then comes the bit of fancy in regard to the stars and 
the mocn all of which is easy for the child's mind to 
grasp if it has known previously about real sheep and 
shepherds. The repetition of the first stanza, intensifies 
the sense of drowsiness, the intellectual interest waning 
in inverse proportion to this feeling. No finer way of 
giving a song like this can be found than the actual sing- 
ing it, there being appropriate settings for most of such 
well-known lullabies. 

58 



CRANCH, CHRISTOPHER PEARSE 

Born at Alexandria, Va., in 1813. Studied theology, bu\ 
retired from the ministry in 1842. Had some connection 
with the Transcendentalists and wrote verse for "The 
Dial." He spent several years in Europe studying art. 
After 1871 he devoted himself entirely to literature. With 
the exception of some of his verse, his work is little 
known. His translation of the "Aeneid" in blank verse 
has much merit. He died in 1892. 

Selection: IV, 81. 

CRATCHITS' CHRISTMAS DINNER, THE 

(Dickens— V— 100.) This passage is a section from one 
of the greatest of Christmas stories, "The Christmas 
Carol." No other author has such wonderful power of 
sympathetically presenting the poor as Dickens, and in 
this story and this particular passage he is at his best. 
There is a splendid dash and humor about it all that 
makes one feel that if poverty can have such joys as are 
here recorded and can make such splendid results out of 
such unpromising material, it is certainly not without its 
compensations. While Dickens' enthusiasm ought not to 
make those who are well off less charitably inclined, it 
ought to impress every reader with the idea that riches 
are, after all, of the spirit. And in that respect the 
Cratchits are certainly blessed. By all means read the 
whole story. It is not so long but that it could be read 
aloud to the school toward Christmas time, 

Scrooge, you should understand in beginning, is the 
miserly employer of Bob Cratchit. He has no love for 
his fellow beings, no use for the Christmas season. In 
a series of visions the Spirit of Christmas is allowing 
Scrooge to look into the heart of things and learn the 
secrets of happiness from which he has excluded himself. 
Name the Cratchits, tell what you can about the ap- 
pearance of each, and note the air of excitement and 
bustle caused by the great event about to take place. 
What members of the family are not present at first? 
Why was Martha late? How was she received? Tell 



59 



about the appearance of Bob and Tiny Tim. Why is 
everybody so tender toward Tiny Tim? What was the 
effect of Martha's joke on Bob? Tell about Tiny Tim 
at church. Why did Bob's voice tremble when he spoke 
of it? Describe the steps in the dinner. Try to read 
those passages about the goose and the pudding so as to 
bring out the hilarious happiness and satisfaction of all 
concerned. What toasts were proposed at the close? 
Why did Mrs. Cratchit object to the second one? What 
made her change her mind and join in it? What was 
Tiny Tim's toast? — Ubiquitous. Everywhere, omnipresent. 
Throughout the whole selection runs this humorous ex- 
aggeration. Indicate some of the best instances. — 
Bedight. Decorated, 

CRICKETS' SCHOOL, THE 

(Pierson — III — 45.) Information about the cricket may 
be bound up with a good moral lesson, as this selection 
shows. What do ycu learn of the nature and past history 
of the fat old cricket from the opening paragraphs? 
What facts did he bring out in the lesson about the big 
world he had come in contact with? Incidentally what 
facts do you learn about the crickets, especially as to how 
they hear and sing? What breaks up the lesson? What 
makes this incident a humorous one? Do you suppose 
the crickets are really as much interested in the strange 
facts about us as we are in the strange facts about the 
crickets? 

CROSS BOX 

(Anon. — II — 61.) Does the weather affect the temper 
of people? Is it harder to be pleasant shut up in the 
house than when out of doors? Who thought of having 
a Cross Box? What were the different suggestions as 
to the use of the money put in the Cross Box? Who was 
the first to pay a fine? Do you think such a box a good 
thing? 

CUNNINGHAM, ALLAN 

Born in Dumfrieshire, Scotland, in 1784. He was a 
stone-mason by trade but gave himself early to writing 

60 



songs and collecting popular traditions. The ballads 
which he contributed to various collections were, in the 
main, original though professing to be old popular songs. 
His later life was spent in London. Some miscellaneous 
writings, a well-known life of Burns, and several collec- 
tions of songs, make up his works. He is now mainly- 
remembered by his fine sea song, a portion of which is 
given in the fourth reader, page 229. Cunningham died in 
1842. 

CURATE AND THE MULBERRY TREE, THE 

(Peacock — IV — 23.) Read this poem through and be 
able to tell the story. What was the main characteristic 
of the curate's mare? What method did the curate take 
of getting the berries and avoiding the briars? What un- 
intentional error did he make? What is the moral as 
marked in the last line ?— Curate. A priest or minister. — 
Tractable. Easily managed. — Put forth her mettle. The 
word "mettle" means high spirits, or good qualities. — 
To boot. In addition. — Courser. A swift horse. — Docile. 
Easily taught. — Fond. Foolish. — How many lines in each 
stanza? How are the rhymes arranged? In reading the 
lines do you find that they seem to embody the movement 
of the mare? Read some lines so as to bring out the 
rhythm. Here is the opening line, with accented syllables 
indicated. 

Did you hear' 1 of the Cur' | ate who moun' 1 ted his mare' 

CURIOUS INSTRUMENT, A 

(Taylor — IV — 179.) The selection is a good illustration 
of a kind of literature for young people that was very 
common in the middle and early part of the Nineteenth 
Century. It consisted in presenting knowledge by means 
of a kind of riddle-like story in which some common 
thing was emphasized by awakening curiosity about its 
well known, but in this case, unidentified characteristics. 
In this case the children are thrown off the track by the 
assumption that the father is talking of something he had 
bought in London. Make a list of all the facts brought 

61 



out in the description and in the conversation about the 
eye. Did you guess what it was before the end? 

Portmanteau. A satchel. — Diversity. Variety. — Deci- 
phering old manuscripts. Books were originally written 
on some kind of parchment, before the days of printing, 
and are often very difficult to decipher, i. e., to interpret. 

CURTIS, GEORGE WILLIAM 

Born in Providence, R. I., in 1824. He was at Brook 
Farm for a brief time, and in 1846 went to Europe. 
Several of his earlier books grew out of these three or 
four years abroad. His early work seems to us at present 
rather flowery and full of exaggeration, but as Curtis grew 
older and the problems of freedom and good government 
became vital ideas to him, he gradually acquired a dignity 
and urbanity of style that made him one of the most 
agreeable speakers and writers of his day. As the writer 
of the department called "The Editor's Easy Chair" 
in "Harper's Monthly" he was widely popular. Perhaps 
his most read book at present is the delightful "Prue and 
I." He died August 31, 1892. 

Selection: V, 270. 

DAFFODILS 

(Wordsworth — 1804 — V — 249.) * Fenwick quotes Words- 
worth: "The two best lines in it are by Mary. They (the 
daffodils) grew, and still grow, on the margin of Ulls- 
water, and probably may be seen to this day as beautiful 
in the month of March, nodding their golden heads be- 
side the dancing and foaming waves." Mary was the 
poet's wife and the two lines referred to are 
They flash upon that inward eye 
Which is the bliss of solitude. 

To these two lines in the 1815 edition there was a foot- 
note saying: "The subject of these stanzas is rather 
an elementary feeling and simple impression (approach- 
ing to the nature of an ocular spectrum) upon the 
imaginative faculty, than an exertion of it." — Notice that 
the poem seems to give an experience in the life of the 

62 



speaker. What is his condition when the poem opens? 
Where was he? Tell what he saw. Be careful to dwell 
upon the scene until it is perfectly clear. What was the 
main thing about the daffodils that impressed him? What 
effect did the sight have upon his state of mind? What 
is the wealth that the show brought to his mind? (Ex- 
plained in the last stanza. Often when he is vacant or 
pensive the memory of the scene comes to him ["flashes 
upon that inward eye"] and fills him with the same pleas- 
ure he had when he saw the daffodils). 
DARTON, F. J. H. 

Author of "The Merry Tales of the Wise Men of 
Gotham." 

Selection: III, 60. 

DASENT, GEORGE WEBBE 

A noted English scholar and author, born in the West 
Indies in 1820. He was educated at Oxford, became civil 
service commissioner in 1870, and was afterward connected 
with "Eraser's Magazine" and the "London Times." His 
special field of study was in connection with the language 
and literature, of the Northmen. He edited an important 
"Icelandic-English Dictionary." His volume of popular 
tales from the Norse called "Tales from the Fjeld" is one 
of the finest collections accessible in English. He died in 
1806. 

Selection: III, 142. 

DAYRE, SIDNEY 

Selections: II, 5; III, 200. 

DAY WITH SIR ROGER, A 

(Addison — V — 227.) In the famous periodical called 
"The Spectator" (See Addison) there appeared a series 
of sketches which presented the delightfully whimsical 
character of an imaginary English country gentleman, Sir 
Roger de Coverley. "Sir Roger" is the earliest person in 
English imaginative prose that is really still alive. There 
are men and women in our poetry before his day — in the 
drama there is, of course, a great host of them; but in 

63 



prose literature Sir Roger is the first. Furthermore, the 
men and women of the drama, even in that comedy of 
manners which professed to reflect most accurately con- 
temporary society, were almost always drawn with some 
romantic or satiric exaggeration; but there is no exag- 
geration in the character of Sir Roger. Here was the be- 
ginning of a healthy realism." (Winchester.) As you 
read this selection through does Sir Roger seem to you a 
real person? 

This selection was No. 122 of "The Spectator," pub- 
lished July 20, 171 1. It had as its motto a Latin quota- 
tion from the "Maxims" of Publius Syrus; "Comes in- 
cundus in via pro vehiculo est," which has been trans- 
lated, "A jovial companion on the way is as good as a 
feast." Discuss the fitness of this motto as a heading for 
this particular story. 

The first paragraph of the paper is omitted in the reader. 
It is general in character. Read it. below and then con- 
sider whether it states fairly what the account of Sir 
Roger really brings out: 

*'A man's first care should be to avoid the reproaches 
of his own heart; his next, to escape the censures of the 
world. If the last interferes with the former, it ought 
to be entirely neglected; but otherwise there cannot be a 
greater satisfaction to an honest mind than to see those 
approbations which it gives itself seconded by the ap- 
plauses of the public. A man is more sure of his conduct 
when the verdict which he passes upon his own behavior 
is thus warranted and confirmed by the opinion of all 
around him." 

What does the first paragraph tell you about the rela- 
tions existing between Sir Roger and his neighbors? In 
what connection did the incidents narrated here take 
place? Sketch the characters of the two men overtaken on 
the way. How did Sir Roger settle their dispute? Why 
were both satisfied? What happened in the court? Re- 
late the incident of the sign-post. How was Sir- Roger's 
famous saying turned humorously against him? — Carry. 
Conduct, or take along.— County Assizes. The Sessions 

64 



held periodically by at least one of the superior judges in 
every county in England. — Plain. Ordinary. — Yeoman. 
A small freeholder. — Just within the game act. A law 
passed in the reign of James I and in force until 1827 
provided that no person could shoot game unless pos- 
sessed of an income of forty pounds a year, or two hun- 
dred pounds' worth of goods and chattels. — Shoots flying. 
He gives the game a chance as a true sportsman. — Pett# 
jury. The twelve men who determine cases, according to 
the evidence. How different from the Grand Jury? — Tak- 
ing the law. Sueiug at law. — Quarter sessions. A crimi- 
nal court held once a quarter. — Some pain for him. Fear- 
ful lest he make a fool of himself. — Intrepidity. Bravery. 
— Court rose. Adjourned. — Put him up in a sign-post. In 
former times taverns and shops were indicated by some 
sign, generally painted, at the door. With the numbering 
of streets this method of identification is no longer neces- 
sary, though the practice still survives in connection with 
English inns. — Saracen's Head. The Turk's head was one 
of the commonest signs used. 

DEAD CALM AT SEA 

(Coleridge — V — 269.) These five stanzes are taken from 
the second section of "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." 
While interesting merely as an expression of the idea 
stated in the title here given it, the passage can not be 
fully understood apart from its context. If the teacher 
will read or tell to the class the story of the old mariner's 
crime it will throw light on the situation here described. 
Notice the sense of isolation suggested by the first stanza. 
Explain the second line. Imagine yourself where you can 
look back at the effect on the water of a moving boat. 
How does the second stanza mark the calm? How did 
the sun appear? Why? How~ does the word "painted" 
deepen the impression of the calm? Notice particularly 
the repetitions in the fourth and fifth stanzas. Try to de- 
termine what the poet gains by them. Commit these 
stanzas and read them so as to bring out the terrible con- 
dition set forth. 

65 



DEATH OF KING ARTHUR, THE 

(Malory— V— 295.) Sir Thomas Malory's "Morte 
d'Arthur" (Death of Arthur) written in the fifteenth cen- 
tury is not only the greatest collection of the stories of 
King Arthur, but also one of the great monuments of our 
English prose. This particular passage is one of the finest 
in the work. It is interesting to read Tennyson's "Pass- 
ing of Arthur" from "The Idylls of the King" to see how 
closely he has followed Malory. At first the language 
here will strike you as strange, but a little practice and 
care will enable you to understand it, and to catch its 
splendid musical quality. King Arthur has just been mor- 
tally wounded ("Now have I my death") and his two 
loyal Knights are trying to carry him from the field. What 
happened to Sir Lucan? What tribute did Arthur pay to 
bim? What command did he give Sir Bedivere? Why 
did Bedivere fail to carry out the command? How often 
did he fail? What happened when he did throw the sword 
into the lake? What finally became of King Arthur? 
What were his final words to Bedivere? 

The modern forms of a few of the expressions may be 
here indicated. Try to understand it thoroughly in the 
form given to the language by Malory. — Sore. Sorely. — 
The one part. . . .the other. One carried his feet, the other 
his head. — Brast. Burst. — Full heavy. Very heavy. — Wit. 
Know. — And I might. If I might. — Hieth. Passeth. — 
And lightly. And (I will) quickly.— Pommel. The ball or 
knob on the end of the sword haft. — Lief. Loved. — Eft. 
Again. — Wap...wan. Strike upon the shore. — Weened. 
Thought.— Jeopardy. Danger.— But if. Unless.— Fast b,y. 
Near.— Avilion. The land of the blessed in Celtic myth- 
ology where the great heroes were carried at death. 

DEATH OF NELSON, THE 

(Southey— V— 93.) Southey's "Life of Nelson," though 
now regarded as untrustworthy, is one of the most inter- 
esting biographies ever written. It is full of dramatic 
quality and its vividness compensates for its lack of com- 
plete accuracy. This brief extract is a good illustration of 

06 



the striking qualities mentioned. Nelson was killed at the 
famous battle of Trafalgar, off the coast of Spain, October 
21, 1805. In this battle the combined French and Spanish 
fleets were completely defeated. 

The passages which make up the four pages given are 
scattered passages from the account of the battle and 
much adapted. With what kind of attitude did Nelson 
approach the battle? What signal did Nelson make to 
the fleet? Try to determine why this signal is such a 
famous one. What illustrates Nelson's humanity? How- 
did he receive his wound? Why did he conceal his identity 
from the crew while being carried below? What seemed 
mainly on his mind while the battle continued? Describe 
the final scene between him and Hardy. Where did he 
want to be buried? Nelson was buried at St. Paul's 
Cathedral, London, on January 9, 1806. The public dem- 
onstrations accompanying the burial were very remark- 
able. — Blackwood and Hardy were both captains in the 
British fleet, Hardy being in command of Nelson's flag- 
ship, The Victory. There is a bad misprint in the first 
sentence of the second paragraph. The word warning- 
should be wanting. — Mizzentop. Sharpshooters were sta- 
tioned on a platform high on the mizzen or after mast. — 
Tiller. The lever by which the rudder or steering ap- 
paratus is controlled. — Rove. Fastened. — Stars. The signs 
of his rank as admiral. — Cockpit. A room on the lower 
gun-deck of the old ships of war occupied by the junior 
officers, and during battle used by the surgeon and his 
patients. — Van. Leading ships. — Tacked. Turned about. 

DEFOE, DANIEL 

Born about 1661 in London, the son of a butcher. Defoe 
was educated for the ministry, went into business, was 
unsuccessful, was successively a soldier, bankrupt, political 
pamphleteer, editor, political emissary, and writer of fic- 
tion. He is known mainly by his "Robinson Crusoe" 
which is regarded as one of the greatest stories ever 
written. His talent for making everything seem real was 
remarkable. He wrote many successes besides "Robin- 

67 



son Crusoe," but they have not lived in the popular 
mind. He died in I73 x « 
Selection: IV, 42. 

DELAND, MARGARET 

Born at Allegheny, Pa., 1857. Educated at New 
Rochelle, N. Y., and was a teacher of industrial drawing 
until her marriage in 1880. Since that date she has lived 
in Boston. Among her writings are "John Ward, 
Preacher," -'The Wisdom of Fools," "Old Chester Tales," 
"The Awakening of Helena Richie." Selection: III, 34. 

DELIGHTS OF FARMING, THE 

(Warner — V — 192.) This selection is Chapter III of 
Charles Dudley W T arner's "Being a Boy," with a few 
small omissions and changes. It is full of humor and can 
be used as a means of creating a greater love for the 
country and out-of-doors generally. Are the characteris- 
tics of the boy those that he sees in himself or is this the 
way it looks to one who is grown up? Compare with 
Whittier's "Barefoot Boy." You will find that the writer 
emphasizes one fact about the boy. What is it? Do 
you think he is altogether right about it? Name the "de- 
lights" of farming that are mentioned in the selection. 
Tell about the holidays. Select some of the passages 
that seem to you most humorous. 

Selectman. One of a group of officers chosen to man- 
age local affairs in New England towns. This reference 
shows what section of the country the boy told about 
lived in. — Prince Imperial. The heir to the throne in 
France. — Bois de Boulogne. A great park in Paris.— 
Swiss Family Robinson. A noted story for young people. 
See the selection from that book on page 63 of the fifth 
reader. — Delmonico's. A well-known eating place in New 
York City. 

DEWDROPS 

(Butts— III— 20.) A simple little "conceit." What 
were the little diamonds? and what happened to them? 
Do you suppose there were just a million of them? Why 

68 



did the author use a definite number in referring to them? 
Why call them diamonds? What made them twinkle? 
Have you ever observed what the poem tells about? 

DICKENS, CHARLES 

Born at Landport, England, February 7, 1812, studied 
law, but finding it distasteful began work as a reporter 
on the "Morning Chronicle." Here his first sketches, 
written over the pseudonym of Boz, appeared, soon fol- 
lowed by the "Pickwick Papers" which at once placed 
him in the front rank of the writers of the day. The re- 
mainder of his life was devoted to the composition of 
fiction, the story of "David Copperfield" being perhaps 
the best known of his works. Into this book Dickens is 
reported to have introduced much material based upon 
his own career. Dickens made two visits to the United 
States and was unsparing in his criticism upon the follies 
of our people as he saw them, in his "American Notes" 
and in his "Martin Chuzzlewit." He died at Gad's Hill, 
Tune 9, 1870. His works are published in a great variety 
of forms and may be had at almost any price the pur- 
chaser wishes to pay. The standard life is by John Fors- 
ter, published in America by Harper & Bros., New York. 
A very stimulating little book on Dickens is that recently 
written by G. K. Chesterton. 

Selection: V, 100. 

DISSERTATION ON ROAST PIG, A 

(Lamb — V — 167.) Charles Lamb is one of the most 
delightful writers of prose in the language and this is 
one of his most delightful productions. To speak more 
accurately this is a part of that production only, and it 
is made by a process of cutting out more than half of 
it and "telescoping" what is left. But it is probably bet- 
ter than none a.t all and the pupil may be encouraged to 
read more of Lamb. It is a "skit" or "take off" and is 
told with such convincing realism that one is tempted to 
believe that it all happened just that way. 

How did mankind originally eat their meat? Tell the 
story of how roast pig was discovered. What kind of 

69 



boy was Hoti? What happened when his father came 
home? Why were they not punished? Why was the 
original way of securing roast pig not wholly satisfac- 
tory? Do you suppose the world has made many of its 
steps forward by some such blundering as that imagined 
by Lamb? What is a "retributory cudgel"? A "sour 
mouth"? 

DODGE, MARY MAPES 

Born in New York City, 1838. After the early death 
of her husband she cultivated an inclination for literature 
and achieved lasting success in the "Story of Hans 
Brinker, or the Silver Skates," which has been translated 
into many European languages. When "St. Nicholas" 
magazine was founded in 1873, Mrs. Dodge became the 
editor. She died in 1905. 

Selections: II, 107; III, 93; IV, 256. 

DODGSON, CHARLES LUTWIDGE 

Best known by his pseudonym, Lewis Carroll, an emi- 
nent mathematician and author, born at Daresbury, Eng- 
land, in 1832. He was educated at Oxford, and was a 
mathematical lecturer there from 1855 to 1887. He wrote 
several mathematical books of high rank. But he is best 
known as the author of "Alice in Wonderland" and 
"Through the Looking Glass," two of the most delight- 
ful and popular books for young people ever written. 
They "display a delightful combination of mad absurd- 
ity and subtle fancy." His death occurred in 1898. 

Selection: IV, 149. 

DOLE, CHARLES FLETCHER 

An American minister and author, born at Brewer, Me.; 
in 1845. Educated at Harvard. He is the author of a 
great number of bok9 on religious and civic subjects. "The 
American Citizen" and "The Young Citizen" are two 
titles that are especially valuable in cultivating a higher 
patriotism. 

Selection: IV, 239. 

70 



DOLL HOUSE, THE 

(Anon. — II — 15.) Do housekeepers paper before they 
put the furniture in their houses? Why? Why did they 
use blue and white in the kitchen with Dutch pictures on 
it? — Looms. Machines for weaving. — Why should May 
and Fay try to make the doll house as beautiful as pos- 
sible? Do mothers do this in the homes for their chil- 
dren? Why does not an ugly house do just as well as a 
beautiful one? 

DORA AND THE LIGHT 

(Anon. — II — 79.) Why is the life at a lighthouse of 
necessity lonely? Is it likely to make those living the 
life, courageous? What were Dora's chief pleasures? 
Why was Dora's father not there to light the lamp him- 
self? Why is there such a long stairs to the lighthouse? 
What do you suppose Dora's father thought when he first 
saw the light in the distance? What might have hap- 
pened if Dora had thought she was too small to light the 
lamp? 

DOUBTING CASTLE AND GIANT DESPAIR 

(Bunyan — V — 41.) This selection is from the latter 
part of "The Pilgrim's Progress," one of the greatest 
allegories ever written. The characteristic thing about 
an allegory is that every event in the story is a symbol 
of some hidden meaning. Every character stands for 
some phase of human nature. The names given to the 
people and places generally suggest their meaning. "The 
Pilgrim's Progress" pretends to be a dream or vision 
that came to the writer, in which he saw the journey of 
Christian from the City of Destruction to the Heavenly 
City. This journey is to represent what happens to any- 
one who tries to live a good life. So Pilgrim labors 
through the Slough of Despond, passes the Wicket Gate, 
learns some of the more vital principles of life at the 
House of the Interpreter and still more at the Palace 
Beautiful, fights successfully with the giant, Apollyon, 
crosses the Valley of Humiliation, goes down into the 

71 



Valley of the Shadow, finally gets safely through Vanity 
Fair, and seems in a fair way to successful travel, when 
he makes the great mistake of going out of the right road 
and going to sleep in the grounds of Doubting Castle. At 
this stage of his journey he is accompanied by Hopeful. 
How did they happen to fall into the hands of Despair? 
What did he accuse them of doing? Did they feel that 
they had any defense? How were they treated in the 
Castle? What did Diffidence have to do with it? (Diffi- 
dence in Bunyan's time meant distrust.) Do you see why 
Despair and Diffidence were married? What did they 
try to get the Pilgrims to do? What means did they 
use? Can you tell how Christian happened to think of 
the Key of Promise? Tell how they managed to escape? 
What step did they take to warn other travellers of the 
danger they had fallen into? (In this story and in Spen- 
ser's "Faerie Queene" loss of faith plunges the hero into 
despair. Pilgrim's experience signifies that distrust of 
God leads one to despair.) From a careful study of the 
escape, tell what you think the Key of Promise means. 

DOWN TO SLEEP 

(Jackson — V — 32.) This poem expresses the feelings 
and experiences of the fall season connected with the 
"going to sleep" of all nature. The quiet melancholy 
is well expressed through emphasizing a series of facts 
belonging to the season. The children should imagine 
the scenes and the facts one after the other. Especially 
does this poem give an opportunity to connect the facts 
of the children's rwn experiences with the poem. For 
instance all will recall days that are cool in the morning 
and get hot by noon. How does the third line express 
this fact? Why do the speaker's steps "grow slow, grow 
light?" What produces the "reverent" feeling? Probably 
children do not need to analyze this reverence for the 
mystery of nature's methods; if they are led to feel them- 
selves in the presence of the surroundings indicated the 
emotional effect will take care of itself. At any rate it 
may safely be said that it is important to stimulate the 

72 



right feeling in the study of literature, rather than to 
make the reader conscious of its presence. In the second 
stanza, what does the speaker find out for the first time? 
What are the "low tones" that seem so human? Have 
you ever noticed the noises made by the wind among the 
bare boughs in the fall? What new experiences are men- 
tioned in stanza 3? This poem has such fine imaginative 
quality that the children are apt to find certain expres- 
sions difficult unless care is taken. "Cover-lids," "sweet 
eyes shut tight," "viewless mother," "ferns kneel," 
"chorus,"— just what do all these mean? Can you under- 
stand from your own experience why the speaker says, 
"half I smile and half I weep?" Bryant's "Death of the 
Flowers" might be read for another expression of the 
same theme. 

The fourth stanza carries the idea over into human life. 
Trace the parallel. The comparisons of life to the prog- 
ress of the seasons and to the day are familiar ones. The 
quiet, tender pathos of the close is well expressed by these 
symbols. 

DRAKE, JOSEPH RODMAN 

Born in New York, in 1795. His early years were hard 
but he succeeded in graduating in medicine in 1816. He 
died of consumption in 1820. He is known as the author 
of two poems, "The Culprit Fay" and "The American 
Flag." This latter has a few lines in it that are well 
known. The pathos of his early death and the fine tribute 
to his memory by his friend Fitz-Greene Halleck ("Green 
be the turf above thee") have had much to do in keep- 
ing- his name alive. 

Selection: IV, 242. 

DUEL, THE 

(Field — II — 151.) This is one of the selections that 
too great a degree of literalness will spoil. 

Let the child's imagination have its way. If there be 
a too sceptical attitude, ask him to imagine the ging- 
ham dog and the calico cat come to life after all folks 

73 



What thoughts does the watcher attribute to the dying 
horse? What do the expressions "weary journey" and 
"cruel load" make clear? . Notice carefully the language 
of the third stanza. It may be called the transition 
stanza. The first two stanzas are about a horse; what 
are the last two about? Does "one of the day's mishaps" 
suggest that this is a common or an unusual occurrence? 
What other expression in the third stanza repeats this 
idea? Does "a toiler dying in harness" necessarily refer 
to a horse? Study the last two stanzas to discover what 
the symbol is, — what this parable of the horse suggests. 
What does the "street of ever-echoing tread" symbolize? 
The last three lines summarize the steps in the life of 
the tireless worker. Does he reach the coveted prize? 
Dees the world stop to take account of his end? 

ECHO IN THE HEART, THE 

(Van Dyke — V — 92.) Does the poet know the birds 
in a scientific sense? Explain clearly how he does know 
them. How does he picture May? This is a good in- 
stance of personification. How do the birds welcome 
her? They are called "airy lovers" and "minstrels"; why 
are these two terms fitting? Explain "weaves strain." 
Why call the strain "wild-flowery"? Is it possible to en- 
joy the season and the birds apart from knowing them? 
Fall back on your own experience for an answer. 

Now, you must carry the thought of the first stanza 
over into the second to understand it. Do you suppose 
"darling" refers to a daughter, or a wife, or a sweetheart, 
or a sister? Could it be any one of these? Why does 
the poet love the person referred to? Is it because of 
her beauty? or her noble blood? or because she is either 
"a new" or 'an old" woman? (What do these terms "old 
or new" mean when applied to a woman?) Can you now 
tell what love depends upon? Is it on qualities of spirit 
that answer to needs of our own spirit? 

EDWARDS, M. BENTHAM 

Selection: II, 128. 

75 



were in bed. What could the dog and the cat find to 
quarrel about? What do dogs and cats usually find to 
quarrel about? What is it that usually flies when dogs 
and cats fight? Is it surprising that the Dutch clock put 
its hands before its face on this occasion? Is it surpris- 
ing that the Chinese plate looked blue? Don't miss the 
sly humor in these touches. Would Dutch clocks and 
Chinese plates not have a different view of a fight be- 
tween a gingham dog and a calico cat from that which 
other folks would have? It is upon this authority that 
we are to believe in the awful fight and that finally they 
ate each other up. Of course real dogs and cats could 
not do this, but we need not question it in the case of 
this dog and cat. 

DUNBAR'S PRIZE 

(Given— III— 203.) What was the notice that excited 
Dunbar so? Why did the society offer such a prize? 
How did Dunbar and Grandfather arrange for attracting 
the martins? What was the result of their efforts? (It 
would be a fine idea to test this plan and see if you can 
persuade some martins to settle near your home.) 

DUTY 

(Emerson— IV— 70.) Sometimes a few lines will ex- 
press a tremendous truth, and that is the fact here. The 
power of living up to one's highest obligations, and the 
necessity of doing so, are feelings that dominate the soul. 
This shows, says Emerson, how near God is to man, how 
nigh grandeur is to our dust. The young, buoyant indi- 
vidual is likely to best embody these feelings, hence 
"youth" in the last line. Commit these lines and make 
them your motto. 

DYING IN HARNESS 

(O'Reilly— V— 292.) Describe the scene brought to 
your mind by the first stanza? Imagine yourself in the 
crowd and think the matter through with the poet from 
that point of view. What was the teamster trying to do? 
What does the second stanza tell you about the horse? 

74 



EGGLESTON, EDWARD 

"Was born at Vevay, Ind., December 10, 1837. He was 
largely self-educated. For several years he was engaged 
in religious work as a Methodist circuit-rider, editor of a 
religious periodical, lecturer for Sunday-school teachers' 
institutes, etc. For a while he was on the editorial staff 
of "The New York Independent," and later editor of 
"Hearth and Home." Afterward (1874-1879) he was pas- 
tor of a church in Brooklyn. From then until his death 
in 1902, he lived on Lake George, devoting himself to 
various literary projects mainly connected with the early 
history of America. His most popular book, "The 
Hoosier Schoolmaster," appeared in 1871. "The Hoosier 
School Boy," a good second, appeared in 1883. These 
two books present a type of life that has long since dis- 
appeared, or at any rate is no longer representative. But 
as pictures of pioneer conditions these two books will 
long hold their own. Other widely read novels by the 
same writer are "The Circuit Rider" (1874), "Rcxy" 
(1878) and "The Faith Doctor" (1891). His historical 
studies, "The Beginners of a Nation" (1896), and "The 
Transit of Civilization" (1900), are attractively written 
and full of a minute and adequate knowledge of his sub- 
ject. 

Selection: IV, 19, 92; V, 14. 
ELIOT, CHARLES WILLIAM 

Born in Boston, Mass., in 1834. He was educated at 
Harvard and entered the teaching profession. While 
professor of chemistry in the Massachusetts Institute of 
Technology in 1869, he was elected to the presidency of 
Harvard. From this position he has just retired (1909) 
after an incumbency of forty years. His administration 
has been in every way a notable one for Harvard. He is 
largely responsible for the great development of the elec- 
tive system in this country. As a public speaker he has 
been in large demand, and his views on all questions con- 
nected with civic righteousness and the larger life have 
commanded wide attention. 

Selection: V, 300. 

76 



ELIOT, GEORGE 

The pseudonym of the great English novelist whose 
maiden name was Mary Ann Evans. She was born in 
Warwickshire, England, November 22, 1819. She was 
educated at Nuneaton and Coventry. Of a very strong 
and independent mind she early became an independent 
thinker and student along religious and philosophical 
lines. Her first important literary work was a transla- 
tion of Strauss's "Life of Christ." In 1857 she became 
an assistant editor of "The Westminster Review," and 
came thus into contact with such minds as Herbert 
Spencer, John Stuart Mill, Froude and others. In 1853 
she united herself to George Henry Lewes, with whom 
she lived until his death in 1878. In May, 1880, she mar- 
ried John Walter Cross, but died before the end of that 
year, December 22, 1880. Mr. Lewes was a critic of no 
mean ability, and through his encourag*ement George Eliot 
tried her hand at writing fiction. The stories which com- 
prise "Scenes from Clerical Life" were received with high 
praise and were followed by her great masterpieces which, 
by common consent stand in the first rank of English 
fiction. These are, "Adam Bede" (1859), "The Mill on 
the Floss" (i860), "Silas Marner" (1861) "Romola" (1S62- 
63), "Felix Holt" (1866), "Middlemarch" (1871), "Daniel 
Deronda" (1876). She wrote a long dramatic poem called 
"The Spanish Gypsy." Her novels are distinguished by 
great psychological insight into human character. The 
problems of life are presented in an unflinching manner, 
with liberal breadth and sanity. 

The authoritative life of George Eliot is that by her 
husband, J. W. Cross, in three volumes. One of the best 
of the many brief discussions of her life and works is 
that by Sidney Lee in the English Men of Letters. 
Selection: V, 108. 

EMERSON IN YOSEMITE 

(Muir — V — 264.) In the spring of 1871 Emerson, with 
a party of friends, made a six weeks trip to California, and 
it was during this trip that the incidents occurred which 

77 



Mr. Muir tells of in this selection. Emerson's mental 
powers had already begun to fail and there are several 
references by the writer in which this fact is feelingly 
referred to. John Muir is one of the greatest of nature 
lovers and this selection gives us quite as interesting a 
glimpse of his enthusiasm for nature as it does of Emer- 
son. Why had he looked forward to Emerson's coming? 
What plans had . Mr. Muir for getting the best out of 
Emerson? Was he disappointed? Follow their experi- 
ences. Select and read the passages in which Mr. Muir 
tries to infect Emerson with his own enthusiasm. Tell 
how he spent the night after Emerson departed. What 
were his relations with Emerson after this time? Notice 
particularly the naturalist's impatience with the fear of 
being "out of doors." 

In what sense is "warm" used in the first paragraph? — 
Explain the comparison, "Serene as a sequoia." The 
sequoias are the mammoth trees of California. — Gang 
tapsal teerie — Go topsy-turvy. A Scotch expression. — 
Good-by, proud, etc. The first line of Emerson's poem, 
called "Good-Bye." — Mariposa. Name of a valley. — 
"Come listen, etc." Read Emerson's "Woodnotes." — Pro- 
bation. Time of trial. — Herbariums. Collections of plants. 
— Wachusett and Monadnock. Isolated mountains, the 
first in Masachusetts, the second in New Hampshire. — 
Sleepy Hollow. The cemetery at Concord. 

EMERSON, RALPH WALDO 

Born at Boston, Mass., May 25, 1803; educated for the 
ministry, graduating from Harvard in 1821; taught for a 
while; studied theology under Channing; left the minis- 
try in 1832 on account of conscientious scruples concern- 
ing certain forms of worship and devoted the rest of his 
life to writing and lecturing. Was one of the editors of 
the "Dial" which ran from 1840 to 1844 as the organ of 
the transcendentalists. Died at Concord, Mass., April 27, 
1882. The authoritative edition of his works is published 
in eleven volumes by Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston, 
Mass., and the authoritative memoir in two volumes by 

78 



J. E. Cabot is tissue d by the same house. A good, brief 
biography is that by Doctor Holmes in the American 
Men of Letters series. 

Selections: IV, 70; V, 274. 

EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES, THE 

(Anderson — IV — 25.) What proof have } r ou in the out- 
set that the Emperor had a weak character? Did the 
swindlers take advantage of the Emperor's weakness? 
What were the advantages of the new clothes the Em- 
peror ordered from the two strangers? Why did the 
Emperor send his old minister instead of going himself 
to see how the weaving was progressing? What did the 
minister find to be the situation? Did he tell the truth 
to the Emperor? What was the experience of the second 
official? Did the Emperor, on his visit, face the truth? 
What were his motives in keeping up the falsehood? 
Why did everyone fall into line? What was the grand 
climax to this growing deception? Who was the first 
to speak the truth? In what way did the Emperor's new 
clothes really reveal the ones in the kingdom unfitted for 
their posts? Who were they? 

ENGLAND 

(Shakespeare — V-— 166.) A portion of one of the dying 
speeches of Old John of Gaunt in "Richard II." In the 
course of this bitter, prophetic speech in the first scene 
of the second act he points out the consequences of 
Richard's miserable reign. The lines quoted early became 
famous and were printed in 1600 in "England's Parnassus," 
a noted book of selections from many authors. What 
various expressions are used as synonyms for England? 
Do they all seem fitting equivalents. Do they all magnify 
England? Show how in each case. Which comparison seems 
to you must poetic? — Mars was the Roman god of war, 
and following the defeat of the Spanish Armada and other 
sucesses at arms, England felt her superiority. — Demi. 
A prefix meaning hall". England was one paradise, as 
Eden was the other. — Why had Nature chosen England 

79 



as her stronghold? — Moat. A ditch, filled with water, 
around the walls of a house or fortress for protection. — 
Is the expression "less happier" strictly correct? In con- 
nection with this or some other patriotic piece the prob- 
lem of why patriotic expression always involves more or 
less of exaggeration might be profitably discussed. Is 
the writer moved mainly by feeling or by literal common 
sense? If he confined himself to exact statement could 
he stir much patriotic feeling in others? 
ESCOTT-INMAN, H. 

Author of "Jarl the Neatherd" and "The Master of St. 
Cyrils." 

Selection: III, 123. 
ESKIMO GAME, AN 

(Schwatka — III — 101.) What is the game called that 
is described in this selection? Tell in detail just how it 
is played Do you see why the Eskimo boys should have 
such a game? Do you know any games in which the 
same principles are used? What values can you see in 
such sports? 
EVE OF WATERLOO, THE 

(Byron — V — 257.) This selection is a portion of Canto 
III of Byron's "Childe Harold," stanzas 21 to 25 inclusive, 
omitting stanza 23. The occasion described is the famous 
ball given by the Duchess of Richmond at Brussels on 
the evening preceding the beginning of the fighting (June 
15, 1815) which culminated in the battle of Waterloo 
(June 18th). Victor Hugo's account of this battle is 
found in the fifth reader. Wellington had asked his 
officers to attend the ball in order to conceal as long as 
possible from the people of Brussels the fact of the 
French advance. A well-known account of this night is 
found in chapter XXIX of Thackeray's "Vanity Fair," 
Bk. 1. The following excellent analysis of these stanzas 
is taken from Appleton's Fifth Reader, page 251: "Note 
the coloring of the picture; first, the revelry; beauty and 
chivalry; happy hearts; music and merry social inter- 
course; each one absorbed in the pleasure of the moment, 

80 



thoughtless of the welfare of the country or of the affairs 
of the nation; then the sudden warning sound; the anxious 
questioning; the thoughtless and gay ridicule the alarm 
that is caused, resist the serious feeling that arises, and 
urge the renewal of the dance; but the sound grows 
nearer and clearer, and all become aware of the fact that 
the French army has attacked the forces of Wellington 
posted within ten miles of the capital. The overwhelm- 
ing interest of the occasion: all Europe looking on the 
last struggle with Napoleon; Napoleon, the great military 
genius of the age, and the French nation enthusiastic 
and devoted in his cause; his soldiers inspired with con- 
fidence by a hundred victories. On the other hand, the 
proud and stubborn English arrayed under their always 
successful leader, Wellington, "he that gained a hundred 
fights, nor ever lost an English gun" (from Tennyson's 
Ode), who had defeated, one after another, Napoleon's 
best generals in the Spanish peninsula; the only man 
who had proved himself able to cope with the forces 
of Napoleon. Now for the first time, Napoleon and 
Wellington meet face to face, and the solemn atten- 
tion of the civilized world is fixed on the issue. If Na- 
poleon is victorious, he will crush the English army, and 
then the German army, and no further opposition can be 
made to his power, which will then be supreme in West- 
ern Europe. In the 3d stanza (as here arranged — one 
being omitted because it breaks the connection by intro- 
ducing a biographical item regarding Brunswick's chief- 
tain), note private griefs caused, and in the next observe 
the contrast: all minds concentrated on the one great 
object, forgetful now of private interests and pleasure, 
fully aware of the immense importance of the battle now 
begun. . . . The poem lays more stress on the pri- 
vate interest than on the national; it is more pathetic 
than patriotic, but, on the whole, it is the greatest of 
martial poems." St. 1. Beauty and chivalry. What ex- 
pression in line four means the same thing? — St. 2. Why 
glowing hours? — St. 3. Mutual eyes. The seventh line of 
stanza one defines this expression. 

SI 



EVERETT, EDWARD 

Was born at Dorchester, Mass., April n, 1794- Edu- 
cated at Harvard, of which institution he was afterward 
president (1846-49). He was a noted statesman and ora- 
tor. He was in succession, member of Congress, Gov- 
ernor of Massachusetts, Minister to England, Secretary 
of State, and United States Senator from Massachusetts. 
One of his great orations was that delivered at the dedi- 
cation of the Gettysburg battlefield. He died at Boston, 
January 15, 1865. 

EWALD, CARL 

A Danish writer, whose work has splendid literary 
quality. The selection called '"The Mist" taken from his 
work is one of the best in the fourth reader. He was 
born in 1856; died 1908. 

Selection: IV, 230. 

EYES AND NO EYES 

(Barbauld — IV — 52.) A good specimen of the informa- 
tion literature so popular in a former generation. Who 
are the speakers? How had the two boys been spending 
their holiday? What did Robert have to report? Why? 
State in order all the things that William saw, and the 
new information he secured in regard to each. What 
moral did Mr. A. draw from what had happened? (Com- 
pare with ''The Careful Observer," in fourth reader, p. 
75.) Heath. An open, uncultivated tract. — Artifice, 
Trick. — Counterfeit. Pretended. — Turf. Same as peat. 
Decaying vegetable matter, cut into blocks and dried for 
fuel. — TipplingWhouses. Drinking-houses. — Franklin. A 
reference to Benjamin Franklin, whose many practical 
inventions were due largely to his close observations. 

FAIRIES' SHOPPING, THE 

(Deland — III — 34.) A series of fancies based upon 
natural facts that most children have a chance to observe. 
The more clearly they have in mind the condition in the 
Fall of all the things mentioned, the more easily can 

82 



they follow the fancies. A series of lessons based upon 
the mullein, milkweed, etc., would form a good preparation 
for reading this poem. When Fall approaches what do 
the Fairies begin to think about? Tell how they proceed 
to get ready for winter. What have you observed about 
each of the things mentioned that account for the use 
made of it by the Fairies? Why speak of the "mullein's 
yellow candles"? or, call thistles "surly things"? or, make 
nightcaps out of snapdragons? What is the feeling with 
which the F'airies bid good-by to Summer? 

FAIRY STORY, A 

(Sherman — III — 177.) What did the fairy hear? Why 
does it seem absurd? When did the fairy hear of the 
water drop again? What had it done in the meantime? 
Js there anything about the history of the drop of water 
that reminds you of what happens to human beings? But 
this is a fairy fancy and the important thing is to go to 
fairyland with the frost and not to insist too much that 
fairyland shall come to you. 

FAREWELL TO THE FARM 

(Stevenson — III — 247.) Do you think the children in 
this poem live in the town or in the country? Give the 
reasons for your answer. Do you think they have had a 
good time? Why do they kiss their hands to "every- 
thing"? What objects do they mention? Why? Why 
do "the trees and houses smaller grow"? Do you think 
they will want to come back next summer? (This poem 
is taken from "The Child's Garden of Verses," a little 
book that ought to be in every collection for children.) 

FICKETT, M. GRACE 

Author (with Grace M. Stone) of "Everyday Life in 
the Colonies." 

Selection: IV, 186. 

FIELD, EUGENE 

Born at St. Louis, Missouri, February 3, 1850, was a 
student at Williams College, at Knox College, Galesburg, 
111., and in the State University of Missouri, which he 

83 



left on becoming of age. After some time spent in 
traveling he took up the work of journalism, filling 
various editorial positions until in 1882 he accepted a 
position on the Chicago Record, then the Morning News, 
which he retained until his death at Buena Park, Chicago, 
November 4, 1895. The column which he conducted in 
the "Record" was called "Sharps and Flats" and into its 
making went much of his best work. The claim of Fields 
to long life is the ability he possessed of treating sub- 
jects of interest to children. So popular is his work in 
this line that he has been called the "Poet Laureate of 
the children." His collected works are published by 
Charles Scribner's Sons, New York City.. A very inter- 
esting little book about him, entitled "The Eugene Field 
I Knew," by Francis Wilson, is published by the same 
house. Selections: II, 40, 112, 157; III, 57, 100. 

FIGHT WITH THE WINDMILLS, THE 

(Cervantes — V — 132.) This selection is made up of 
the last portion of Chapter VII and the first part of 
Chapter VIII of the famous story of "Don Quixote." 
This is one of the world's great books and this particular 
episode is one of the best known parts of it. The book 
gets its name from its hero, a Spanish country gentleman 
who has read so many tales of knightly adventure that 
his imagination becomes inflamed and with his Squire 
Sancho Panza he sets out in search of the kind of ad- 
ventures he has read of. Cervantes declared that he 
"had no other desire than to render abborred of men the 
false and absurd stories contained in boo\s of chivalry," 
and he thoroughly succeeded in his purpose. In his 
"History of Spanish Literature" George Ticknor gives 
the following summary of the book: 

"These two (Don Quixote and Sancho Panza) sally 
forth from their native village in search of adventures, 
of which the excited imagination of the knight, turning 
windmills into giants, solitary inns into castles, and galley- 
slaves into oppressed gentlemen, finds abundance, where- 
ever he goes; while the Squire translates them all into 

S4 



the plain nrose of truth with an admirable s mp he ity, 
quite unconscious of its own humor, and rendered the 
more diking by its contrast with the lofty and courteous 
Sffi and magnificent illusions of the superior pe- 
onage There could, of course, be but one consisten 
ermKation to adventures like these The Knight and h 
esquire suffer a series of ridiculous discomfitures, and are 
T t brought home, like madmen, to their native village 
where Cervantes leaves them, with an intimation that 
the story of their adventures is by no means ended. _ 

What kind of man did Don Quixote have for his squire 
Did tne fact that this man was "poor of brains have 
anything to do with it? What inducements were offered 
What preparations were made for their journey Why 
dm Don' Quixote have doubt, about taking the as 
What picture do you have of Sancho as they start? 
What did they talk about on the way? Narrate tne ad- 
venture with the windmills. What was the difference m 
the way the Knight, and his squire regarded them? How 
did Don Quixote explain the misfortune that happened 
to him? What did Sancho mean when he suggested that 
the Knight had "windmills in his head"? Select and 
read passages that best show the foolishness of the 
Kni-ht In studying the selection notice especially all 
the terms and facts referring to Chivalry; such as, squire, 
the horse, armor, arms, the lady, the fight against odds, 
part played by fortune, etc. 

Squire. The Knight's attendant-Target. A shield.— 
Wallet. Knapsack.— Patriarch. Venerable, one who gov- 
erns by paternal right.-Make shift. Be able.-Infantas. 
The royal princesses in Spain and Portugal are so- 
called —Extirpation. Total destruction.— Rozinante. In 
Tories of chivalry you are likely to find a horse with a 
romantic name, and Don Quixote must be supplied ike 
his models. "Rozin" means an ordinary horse. Else- 
where in the story we learn that this famous steed was 
all skin and bones. Are these famous steeds you read 
of usually of that sort?-Briareus. In Greek mythology, 
a monster with a hundred arms.-Lady Dulcinca. 



85 



Knights always fought for their "lady's sake." Dulcinea 
was not her real name but Don Quixote called her that 
because he thought it more romantic. (The word dulce 
means sweet.) — Couching. Throwing the lance into 
proper position for attack. — Necromancer.. Magician. — ■ 
Pernicious. Evil. — Shoulder-slipped. — Having the shoul- 
der-joint dislocated or sprained. 

FINCH, FRANCIS MILES 

Born at Ithaca, New York, June 9, 1827, graduated at 
Yale, practiced law at Ithaca, was elected member of the 
Court of Appeals in New York in 1881. He w.as the 
author of many fugitive poems, the best known of these 
being "The Blue and the Gray" which appeared in the 
Atlantic Monthly in 1867 and is given in V, p. 211. He 
died in 1909. 

FIRST THANKSGIVING, THE 

(Anon. — II — 36.) Is there anything in the story to 
make you think it was near Thanksgiving time? What 
things to eat are usually associated with Thanksgiving? 
In the story Edith's mother told of the first Thanksgiv- 
ing, who was really responsible for the first plentiful 
harvest? Why was turkey used for meat at the first 
Thanksgiving? Why did they go to church before they 
had their feast? Why was it right that the Indians should 
be invited? 

FISH I DIDN'T CATCH, THE 

(Whittier — IV — 221.) This selection is made up of 
about one half of Whittier's article with this name, first 
published in 1843 an d now included in Vol. I. of his prose 
works. If a copy of "Snow Bound" is handy, turn to it 
and read the passage that describes the uncle. It will 
form a good introduction to the simple wisdom of this 
story. Why do you suppose the boys like to go fishing 
with this uncle? Tell the story of the fish that got away. 
What encouragement did the uncle give? What quality 
of character must a good fisherman possess? What 
lesson does the uncle draw from this incident, and how 

86 



does Whittier state it in proverb form? Is boasting ever 
worth while? (The great classic on fishing is Walton's 
"Complete Angler." Van Dyke's "Little Rivers" will also 
make good supplementary reading.) 

FITZ-JAMES AND RODERICK DHU 

(Scott — V — 47.) This passage is from "The Lady of the 
Lake," the best known of Scott's longer poems, which 
was first published in 1810. The selection comprises lines 
186-295 of Canto V, and is a part of the introduction to 
the famous combat between the disguised king and the 
highland chieftain. Encourage the reading of the entire 
story. If the main outlines of it are given to the class 
by the teacher it will help the understanding of this par- 
ticular passage. 

The opening paragraph is the closing speech in the 
colloquy between Fitz-James and Roderick. What does 
Fitz-James say he has promised to do? How does he look 
forward to the meeting? How is his desire gratified? 
What was the effect of Roderick's announcement of his 
identity? Quote the well-known passage in which Fitz- 
James expresses his defiance? What was Roderick's pur- 
pose in having his men appear so mysteriously and then 
vanish again? Do you admire his generosity in keeping 
his agreement? Why did he not take advantage of the 
situation? How did Fitz-James feel as they went on 
through the glen? Does Scott succeed in making the 
scene stand out with clearness? The incident recorded 
here is said to have actually happened. At any rate it is 
the most dramatic moment in the poem. 

Dhu is the Gaelic for "black."— Clan-Alpine. The Scot- 
tish families were called clans. The word "Alpine" names 
Roderick's family. — Brand. Sword. — Love-lorn. Suffer- 
ing from love. — Curlew. A water bird. — Copse. Thicket. 
— Bonnet. Caps or headgear worn by the Highlanders. — ■ 
Shingles. Coarse stones. — Bracken. A kind of fern. — 
Broom. A shrub with long slender branches and yellow 
flowers. — Plaided. Each Scottish clan wore a plaid of 
special pattern. — Beck. Gesture. — Verge. Steep side. — 

87 



Benledi. A mountain in Scotland about three thousand 
feet high. — Explain "living side." — Sable. Black. — Osiers. 
A kind of willow. — Heath (P. 49) is the same as heather, 
a shrub with purple bloom. — Glaive. Broad sword. — Targe. 
"A round target of light wood, covered with strong leather 
and studded with brass or iron, was a necessary part of a 
highlander's equipment." (Scott.) — Jack. A coat of leather 
or muslin with iron plates between the folds, or fastened 
on the surface. — Saxon — Gael. The lowlanders were called 
Saxons, and the highlanders, Gaels. 

FLAG GOES BY, THE 

A patriotic poem expressing the feeling stirred by the 
passing of a military parade. What is the picture 
brought before you by the first two stanzas? Explain 
"steel-tipped." Explain what is meant by "more than the 
flag." Why does it move us so much more than a piece 
of cloth of some other color? The third and fourth and 
fifth stanzas answer this question. What specific i n- 
stances are suggested by such terms as "sea fights," 
"sinking ships," etc.? Why "hats off"? Does the fourth 
line in the last stanza answer? 

FLAT TAIL, THE BEAVER 

(Eggleston — V — 14.) Tell how the beaver colony 
selected and built their home. What fine example of co- 
operation is seen? How did Flat Tail differ from his 
father? What was the trouble with him? W 7 hat was 
he left to do? What was his attitude towards advice? 
What was the result? Why did the other beavers deride 
Flat Tail? What are the lessons to be learnt from this 
story? How much of this story is real, and how much is 
fable? Is it, in other words a beaver story, or a man 
story? 

FLOWER FOLK, THE 

(Rossetti — IV — 24.) The three cardinal virtues are 
pictured in the form of three flowers. To what is each 
likened? Try to determine why these flowers are chosen, 
each for its special purpose. What point is made of the 

88 



fact that the rose is accompanied by the thorn? Com- 
mit the passage, keeping the image of the flowers before 
the eye of your mind as you repeat it. Does it agree 
with the passage, "And now abideth faith, hope and love, 
but the greatest of these is love." 

FOR AN AUTUMN FESTIVAL 

(Whittier — V — 69.) The first four stanzas of this poem 
are omitted. It is a song of thanksgiving and a call to 
higher ideals of living, — ideals in line with the boun- 
teousriess and optimism of nature. Why is the year 
called "liberal"? Notice the personification in "laugh"? 
How has Nature won a "triumph"? What contrast in 
"bloodless"? Explain the comparison to Ruth in stanza 
2. This would be a good time to read again the beauti- 
ful story of "Ruth." What note of humility in stanza 3? 
How does Nature put to shame our littleness? (Stanza 4.) 
Consider carefully the meaning of "we shut our eyes," 
"we murmur," "we choose the shadow." What gifts 
"compensate for our "rugged soil"? What section of the 
country did Whittier have in mind here? Explain "sum- 
mer-wedded." What three questions in stanza 6. Are 
they really questions? (Remember that an affirmative is 
sometimes emphasized by this method.) What do the 
final stanzas urge us to thanksgiving for? What is meant 
by changing "a rocky soil to gold"? How can "brave 
and generous lives . . warm a clime with northern ices 
cold"? 

FORD, SEWELL 

Born in Maine, 1868. A contributor to magazines and 
the author of "Horses Nine" and "Shorty McCabe." 
Selection: V, 281. 

FORGET-ME-NOT 

(Anon.— Ill— 178.) Tell the story of how this flower 
received its name? Does the personification seem to you in 
keeping with the flower? 

89 



FORGING OF BALMUNG, THE 

(Baldwin— IV— 158.) This is a story from the great 
German Epic called "The Nibelungenlied," or "the song 
of the Nilbelungs." Siegfried is the hero of this epic. 
Why was Siegfried sent to Mimer? Notice carefully the 
two things that Siegfried was to learn; "to work skilfully 
and to think wisely." Isn't that a good definition of a 
complete education? How was Siegfried's life here dif- 
ferent from what it was at his father's court? What was 
the result of this training? What challenge came to 
Mimer? Why was he worried about it? What did he do? 
What did Siegfried's proposal indicate? Why did Mimer 
allow him to try his skill? What was the result of his 
first effort? Why was Siegfried not satisfied with it? 
What was the result of the second test? Why was he not 
3 r et satisfied with it? What were the results of the third 
test? Describe the scene of the test for supremacy be- 
tween Mimer and Amilias. What happened? What may 
one see now as a result of the trial? Why did Siegfried's 
father have faith as to the test? What is the great truth 
that this story expresses? What does Siegfried's work 
upon the sword suggest to us about the way we should 
do our work? — Burgundy. An ancient country of western 
Europe. — Mystic -Runes. Mysterious or obscure sayings 
expressed by means of runes, the alphabet of the ancient 
Scandinavians. 

FOUNTAIN, THE 

(Lowell — IV— 74-) The first seven stanzas are devoted 
to bringing out the nature of the fountain. Note in order 
all its characteristics. Is there something in the short, 
quick lines that in a way imitates the movement of the 
fountain? There is a sort of kaleidoscopic effect about 
the way in which the images flash before the mind: in 
sunshine, in moonlight, in starlight, always in restful, 
happy motion, changeful and constant. Why does the 
author wish his heart to be like the fountain? (See last 
stanza.) 

90 



FOUR-LEAF CLOVER 

(Higginson — IV — 18.) Describe the place where the 
clovers are found. Explain the second line. (Recall 
what you have noticed about cherry blooms.) For what 
does each leaf stand? What great lesson does the last 
stanza suggest? Does accomplishment mean anything 
more than luck, or mere chance, as the word is usually 
used? Longfellow says 

''Learn to labor and to wait." 
Read this poem in connection with "The Flower Folk" 
on page 24 of the fourth reader. 

FOURTH OF JULY PICNIC, THE 

(Anon. — II — 155.) Why do we celebrate the Fourth of 
July? What kind of weather is it that time of year? 
Why do most people celebrate by going picnicking? Tell 
the various pleasures the children had on this picnic. 
How could they cook fish in the woods? About what 
time do you think they got home? 

FOX IN THE WELL, THE 

(Trowbridge — III — 105.) This fable tells a story at 
least as old as Aesop. What happened to Sir Reynard? 
(Did you ever see one of those old-fashioned wells with 
buckets on each end of a rope, which passed over a 
pulley so that as the filled bucket came up the empty one 
went down? If not this description will help you im- 
agine it.) What led Wolf to stop? How did Reynard 
explain his presence in the well? How did he persuade 
Wolf to help him? With what result? What traits of 
character do the animals represent? Are you sorry for 
Wolf? 

FOX, JOHN, JR. 

A popular American novelist, born in Kentucky in 1863. 
Educated at Harvard. His work is particularly noted for 
knowledge of the life and dialect of the mountain country. 
Among his books may be mentioned, "The Kentuckians," 
"The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come," and "The Trail 
of the Lonesome Pine." 

Selection: V, 304. 

91 



FRANKLIN, BENJAMIN 

An American statesman, diplomat, and man of affairs, 
born at Boston, January 17, 1706. He was apprenticed 
to his brother to learn the business of printing, quarrelled 
with him, and shipped to New York, and finally to Phila- 
delphia, where he arrived practically without friends or 
money. He soon made a place for himself as a man of 
business and public spirit. During the Revolution he 
represented the colonies abroad and finally succeeded in 
bringing about a treaty with France. His services can 
not be overestimated. His industry, his great common 
sense, his fine tolerance, his interest in science, his simple 
and direct style, his keen sense of humor, — these are 
some of the qualities that account for his success. He 
died at Philadelphia, April 17, 1790. Franklin's "Autobi- 
ography" is a masterpiece of its kind, and it and "Poor 
Richard's Almanac" are full of the practical, prudent wis- 
dom so needed by his day. 

Extracts: V, 294. 

FRANKLIN EPIGRAMS 

(Franklin — V — 294.) These epigrams represent a kind 
of common sense that is embodied in nearly everything 
that Franklin wrote. They should be committed and 
thought about. The figurative language, or illustration, 
is well chosen in each case and makes the meaning con- 
crete. They belong in general under the head of pru- 
dential maxims, and admit of immediate and practical 
application in the ordinary affairs of life. 

FROST, THE 

(Gould — III — 72.) When did the frost come? How 
did he propose to carry on his work? What did the 
frost really do to the mountain? to the trees? to the lake? 
to the windows? What were the spears mentioned in 
stanza 2? Why is his work on the panes like that of a 
fairy? Explain "silver sheen." What advantage did he 
take in regard to the cupboard? What does the word 
"tchick" express? Did you ever hear a glass of water 

92 



when it was freezing? There is nothing in this poem that 
you can not explain from your own experiences and ob- 
servations of the frost. In literature the appeal is al- 
ways to experience, real or imagined, and an effort should 
always be made to relate what is read to what we already 
know. 

GEESE AND THE TORTOISE, THE 

(Pilpay — II — 22.) What does a tortoise look like? 
How does it get about? What advantage did the geese 
have over the tortoise? What spirit did they show him? 
What plan did they make for taking him along? What 
situation made the tortoise forget his part of the bargain? 
What happened as a consequence? What feeling in his 
heart caused the disaster? 

GEORGE WASHINGTON 

(Anon. — II — 119.) What river did" George Washington 
live on? Why was it that the boys made Washington 
Captain when they played soldier? Was Washington 
much like the other boys in his youth? Find out who 
Richard Henry Lee was. Is Washington's letter to his 
friend what you would expect from the average boy? 
Who do you think wrote the little poem at the close? 
GINGERBREAD BOY, THE 

(Anon. — II — 47.) What kind of an old woman was it 
who made the gingerbread boy? Why did she leave the 
oven door open? What mistake did the grandson make? 
What kind of a disposition do you think the gingerbread 
boy had? Whom did he meet first and what did he say? 
Whom did he meet next? and so on. Who was the last 
person he met? How did the fox get the best of the 
gingerbread boy? What was the gingerbread boy's 
thoughts as he was being eaten up? Did he know 
enough to tun away from home? 
GIVEN, ELLA 

Selections: II, 132; III, 203. 

GLOUCESTER MOORS 

(Moody — V — 328.) "Gloucester Moors" is one of the 
most significant poems by one of our most significant 

93 



living poets. It is a poem of considerable length, only- 
four stanzas of it being given in the reader. The poem 
proposes one of the most troublesome and important 
problems of modern society, and this is only hinted at in 
the extract. From the first stanza, determine the location 
of the speaker. What features of the landscape are visible? 
What time of year is it? of the day? As the speaker looks 
immediately around him, what does he observe? Read 
in order the passages describing each object. This scene 
is on the New England coast; how many of the objects 
mentioned have you ever seen? What lines in the last 
stanza express the pleasure of the poet in the scene? 
What contrast is indicated by the questions of the final 
lines? — Poetic quality may often be studied to advantage 
in "the fine phrase," as someone has put it. Take these 
(and others you may select) and think them over until 
you catch something of their picturing and suggestive 
quality: "the land dips down," "the moors stretch free," 
"marching sun and talking sea," "moiling street." State 
in prose, and notice what is lost: 

"And the racing winds that wheel and flee 
On the flying heels of June." 

The following lines have been pointed out as the most 

poetic in the poem. Do you like them? 

"That green-gold flash was a vireo, 

And yonder flame where the marsh-flags grow 

Was a scarlet tanager." 

GOD SAVE THE FLAG 

(Holmes — V — 312.) This poem was written in 1865, 
at the close of the Civil War, and that fact will explain 
some of the passages in it. Like most of the other pa- 
triotic passages selected for reading books it is to be 
used for strengthening the feeling of reverence for the 
flag as a symbol of what the nation at heart stands for. 
The first stanza speaks of its triumphant issue from con- 
flicts that threatened its existence. Is it in worse shape 
for the ordeal? The first line suggests why it is not. 
Baal is the symbol of evil. What is the attitude of his 

94 



followers toward it? What explains this attitude? (See 
fourth line of stanza 2.) Explain the work of justice and 
mercy as stated in the third stanza. What is the com- 
parison suggested in stanza 4? What faith is expressed 
in the last two lines of the poem? 

GOETHE, JOHANN WOLFGANG VON 

Born at Frankfort-on-the-Main, August 28, 1749; died 
at Weimar, March 22, 1832. He is the greatest of German 
authors. His masterpiece is the tragedy of "Faust," a 
great dramatic poem in two parts, which occupied his 
thought during a period of about sixty years. Among 
his prose works "Wilhelm Meister" is perhaps the great- 
est. Lewes' "Life of Goethe" is an interesting account 
of his career. 

Selection: V, 197. 

GOING FOR THE DOCTOR 

(Sewell — V — 318.) This selection is from "Black 
Beauty" one of the finest stories about an animal ever 
written. Black Beauty tells the story himself. What 
were the circumstances under which Beauty started for 
this ride? Did he do his best? Why? What does the 
reference to his grandfather show about his blood? Why 
did he have to carry the doctor back? — Newmarket. A 
famous racing track in England. — This brief extract gives 
some notion of the plain, effective narrative in this book. 
It can be had in very cheap editions and every child 
should read it. 

GOLDSMITH, OLIVER 

Born at Pallas, Ireland, November 10, 1728; graduated 
at Trinity College, Dublin; was refused holy orders; 
studied law; wasted his means in gaming; traveled in 
western Europe; became a hack-writer in London, where 
he died April, 1774. He is best known by his two poems, 
"The Traveler," and "The Deserted Village," and by his 
only novel, "The Vicar of Wakefield." The life by Wash- 
ington Irving is a very satisfactory one, although Forster's 
is generally regarded as the most accurate. 

Selections: V, 172, 173- 

95 



GOOD PLAY, A 

(Stevenson — II — 60.) Do the stairs seem a very good 
place for ship-building? What were the materials used? 
What provisions were taken? What would a sailor need 
with a saw and nails? What need of water? Why did 
the sailor say that an apple and a cake were enough to 
go sailing on till tea? Did they really sail for days and 
days? Why are you not surprised that Tom fell out and 
hurt his knee? 

GORDY, WILBUR FISK 

An American educator, now superintendent of schools, 
Springfield, Mass. Was born in Maryland, June 1854; 
educated at Wesleyan University. Author of "A School 
History of the United States," "American Heroes and 
Leaders," and other works of an educational character. 

Selection: IV, 100. 

GOULD, HANNAH FLAGG 

Born at Lancaster, Mass., 1789. Her family moved to 
Newburyport, Mass., 1800, and here she lived until her 
death in 1865. She had some fame as a poet in the first 
half of the nineteenth century, but one or two fugitive 
pieces are about all that are now read. 

Selection: III, 72. 

GRADY, HENRY WOODFIN 

American journalist and orator. He was born at 
Athens, Ga., 1851, and educated at the University of 
Georgia. In 1880 he became one of the owners and edi- 
bors of "The Atlanta Constitution" and his connection 
with that paper continued until his death. He was much 
in demand as a speaker for public occasions, and was 
regarded as the mouthpiece of the New South. One of 
his most noted speeches was that before the New England 
Society at New York, in 1886, on "The New South." In 
the prime of his life, he was stricken down, and died at 
Atlanta, December 2.3, 1889. 

Selections: V, 150, 201, 207. 

96 



GREEN PODS, THE 

(Anon.— II— 44.) How many questions did the children 
ask Mrs. West about the green pods? Which did she 
answer? Which did she not answer? What do you 
'hink was her reason for not answering the two ques- 
tions? What did the children think the pods were? 
Cocoon, the envelope in which certain insects are en- 
closed in the chrysalis state.— Why did Mrs. West have 
some of them hung near the window and some near the 
heater? What time of year do you think it was? What 
finally happened to the pods? Do you know what the 
little white tufts are for? 

GREENWOOD TREE, THE 

(Shakespeare— IV— 120.) A song from "As You Like 
It." In the fifth scene of Act II, Amiens, Jaques and 
other companions of the banished Duke are out in the 
forest. Amiens sings the first stanza and Jaques. the 
melancholy philosopher asks for more. The whole com- 
pany sing the second stanza. The song is an expression 
of the free and happy life of the woodland as contrasted 
with the life of ambition, the conventional life. 

GRIMM, JAKOB AND WILHELM 

Philologists and archaeologists. The first born at 
Hanau, Germany, January 4, 1785, and died in Berlin, 
September 20, 1863. Jacob is the author of the famous 
Grimm's Law or classification of the interchange of con- 
sonants in Teutonic words and their cognates. Wilhelm, 
born at Hanau, February 24, 1786, and died in Berlin, 
December 16, 1859. Together the brothers edited the 
well-known collection of German fairy and popular tales 
which they brought together from all parts of the 
country, getting them mainly at first hand from the lips 
of the peasants. This is perhaps the most famous col- 
lection of such tales ever made. 

Adapted selections: II, 21, 123, 140. 

GRINNELL, GEORGE BIRD 

Born in Brooklyn, September 20, 1849- Educated at 
Yale. Journalist in New York City. An authority on 

97 



Ethnology, and author of many books dealing with In- 
dian life and out-door life in general. Among these are 
"Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk Tales," "The Story of 
the Indian," "The Indians of today." 
Selection: IV, ii/- 

HALE, EDWARD EVERETT 

Born in Boston, Mass., April 3, 1823. Graduated at 
Harvard, taught school, entered the ministry, and was 
well known all over the country as a lecturer, author and 
public spirited man. His writings are voluminous, largely 
in the nature of contributions to magazines and newspa- 
pers. His "Man Without a Country" is a piece of fiction 
and it was through this that his name became a house- 
hold word. "My Double, and How he Undid Me," and 
"Ten Times One is Ten," are still widely read. The 
latter was responsible for the formation of many organi- 
zations, called Lend-a-Hand Clubs, Look-up Legions, 
King's Daughters, etc. Dr. Hale was chaplain of the 
United States Senate for several years preceding his 
death in 1909. His "Memories of a Hundred Years," 
which appeared in 1902, is a study of his times. 

Selection: V, 13. 

HANDFUL OF CLAY, A 

(Van Dyke— III— 160.) This beautiful little fable is 
published in Dr. Van Dyke's book called "The Blue 
Flower." The version given in the reader is very much 
simplified and adapted, mainly by v abridgment, but it pre- 
serves in the main the ideas of the story as found in the 
book referred to. The fable, or apologue, is one of the 
oldest and commonest methods of impressing truths, 
which, however important, would seem commonplace if 
merely stated in prosaic form. What characteristics did 
the clay possess? What ideals did it entertain? What 
contrasts existed between it and the trees? the flowers? 
the river? How did it content itself? State in order 
what happened to it? How did it feel in regard to each 
step in the process? Why did it object to being a com- 
mon flower-pot? Describe the last scene in its history. 

98 



How had its dream come true? Can you tell why the 
Easter celebration was a fitting time for the lesson to be 
impressed upon it? Try to state in your own way what 
this story of the clay means when applied to people. 
Read "A Song" by Browning on page 131 of the fourth 
reader, and compare its truth with that taught here. 

HAPPY LIFE, THE 

(Eliot — V — 300.) This extract from one of Dr. Eliot's 
addresses is particularly stimulating, but you need to put 
on your "thinking cap" and keep it on all the way 
through. He was thinking through a very important line 
of thought, — the problem of satisfaction, or happiness, in 
life. His words and illustrations are very carefully 
chosen, and there is progress, or movement, in the de- 
velopment of his theme. Take each paragraph and study 
it until you can state in a clear form the main affirmation 
it makes. What are the three sources of satisfaction for 
the working man? What objection is urged to many 
forms of intellectual labor? What is the answer to this 
objection? With respect to the satisfaction to be de- 
rived from them, how do various occupations differ from 
each other? What is the contrast between the Oriental 
and the Teutonic doctrine of labor? What point was 
made by Dr. Holmes? How is this form of satisfaction 
limited? How may books help us overcome this lim- 
itation? What does Dr. Eliot think will be the re- 
sult if his ideas on reading are carried out? How does 
he answer the objection that a great deal of leisure is 
necessary for effective reading? What great books and 
authors does he mention? Can you name a noted work 
by each author? Select and read a few of the sentences 
that seem to you especially fine. 

(In connection with this selection it is interesting to 
note that Dr. Eliot has chosen and is editing such a col- 
lection of books as he recommends, to be known as The 
Harvard Classics. About one-half the titles have been 
announced, and the whole collection is to occupy five 
feet of shelf room.) 

99 



HARDING, SAMUEL BANNISTER 

Professor of History in Indiana University. Born in 
Indianapolis, 1866; graduated at Indiana University, 1890; 
received degree of Ph. D. at Harvard, 1898. Author of 
"Essentials of Mediaeval and Modern History" and other 
important historical works. Author, in collaboration with 
his wife, Caroline H., of "Greek Gods, Heroes and Men," 
and "The City of the Seven Hills." 

Selection: V, 79. 

HARRIS, JOEL CHANDLER 

Born at Eatonton, Georgia, in 1848. Learned the print- 
er's trade, studied law and practiced for awhile, joined 
the staff of "The Atlanta Constitution" in 1876 and was 
connected with this paper until his death in 1908. In 1880 
he published "Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings," 
thus beginning the series of books in which he collected 
the negro folk tales and popular stories of the South. 
These books have become classics, and their author was 
affectionately called by the name of his creation, Uncle 
Remus. "Nights with Uncle Remus" and "Little Mister 
Thimblefinger" are other well known works. Uncle 
Remus was one of the shyest and most delightful of men, 
and his death called forth universal expressions of sorrow. 

Selection: III, 50. 

HARRISON, BENJAMIN 

The twenty-third President of the United States. Born 
at North Bend, Ohio, August 20, 1833. Graduated at 
Miami University, studied law and achieved reputation in 
his profession. Was prominent in the Civil War, rising 
to the rank of Brigadier-General. He was an important 
figure in Indiana politics, becoming a United States Sen- 
ator in 1881. In 1888 he defeated Grover Cleveland for 
the Presidency, but in 1892 was defeated by Cleveland 
for the same office. Returned to the practice of law after 
his retirement from office. Died at Indianapolis, March 
13, 1901. He was the author of "This Country of Ours" 
and "Views of an Ex-President." 

Selection: V, 309. 

100 



HAWKINS, WILLIS B. 

Selection: V, 259. 

HAWTHORNE, NATHANIEL 

Born at Salem, Mass., July 4, 1804; graduated from 
Bowdoin College in 1826. Amongst his classmates were 
Longfellow and Franklin Pierce, with the latter of whom 
an attachment was formed which lasted until his death. 
Hawthorne's early work was not especially popular and 
did not bring him in very large returns. He held a small 
position under Bancroft as collector of customs at New 
York, and later joined the Brook Farm Association; was 
appointed surveyor of the port at Salem in 1846 and in 
1853 was made consul at Liverpool, England, by Presi- 
dent Pierce. "The Scarlet Letter" was published in 1850; 
"The House of the Seven Gables" in 1851; "Blithedale 
Romance" in 1852; "Marble Faun" in i860. Fie died at 
Plymouth, New Hampshire, May 19, 1864. His authorized 
works are published in thirteen volumes, including his 
note books, by Houghton, Mifflin & Company, Boston, 
Mass. The authoritative biography entitled "Nathaniel 
Hawthorne and His Wife," by his son, Julian Hawthorne, 
is published by the same house in two volumes. One of 
the most helpful works for a beginning student of Haw- 
thorne is a little book by his son-in-law, George Parsons 
Lathrop, entitled "The Study of Hawthorne." The best 
short life of Hawthorne is that by George E. Woodberry. 

Selections: IV, 78, 122. 

HEADLEY, JOEL TYLER 

Born in Walton, N. Y.. t8t3. Educated for the min- 
istry, but his health failing, he retired, and devoted him- 
self to journalism and literary work. Fie wrote a great 
number of historical works, the best known being "Na- 
poleon and His Marshals." Hedied in 1897. 

Selection: V, 325. 

HEMANS, FELICIA DOROTHEA 

Born at Liverpool, England, September 25, 1794, a poet 
of considerable merit. The best known of her poems is 

101 



perhaps "The Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers in New 
England," which has always been a favorite selection in 
collections for reading. Died near Dublin, May 12, 1835. 
Selection: V, 07. 

HENDRICKS, THOMAS ANDREWS 

Born near Zanesville, 0., in 1819. Educated at Hanover 
College, studied and practiced law. He was prominent in 
Indiana politics; member of Congress (1851-1855), United 
States Senator (1863-1869), Governor of Indiana (1873- 
1877), candidate for Vice-President of the United States 
(1876), elected Vice-President in 1884. He died at In- 
dianapolis, November 25, 1885. He was a speaker of con- 
siderable power on political and patriotic themes. 

Selection: V, 30. 

HIAWATHA'S CHILDHOOD 

(Longfellow — IV — 175.) This selection comprises about 
one-third of the third canto of "Hiawatha," called "Hia- 
watha's Childhood." This poem is another one of the 
books that every child should read entire, and it can be 
given to him almost any time. "Hiawatha" was published 
in the latter part of 1855, and had an unexampled success. 
It was criticised harshly, its originality questioned, and its 
form parodied on every hand. Its popularity with the 
reading public, however, did not diminish, and it is a 
common thing now to find critics who believe it is Long- 
fellow's masterpiece. It is poetry of the elemental variety, 
the measure borrowed from the Finnish Epic, "Kalevala," 
-and the subject-matter taken from Schoolcraft and other 
sources of Indian legends. Its simplicity, closeness to 
nature, and the feeling that you are quite in touch with 
the heart of things, give it peculiar power. The measure 
is the trochaic tetrameter, that is, each verse is made up 
of four two-syllabled measures, the accent falling on the 
first syllable in each measure. It makes much use of 
repetitions. Read the lines describing the location of the 
wigwam of Nokomis. The steps in Hiawatha's education 
are especially suggestive. Read each passage carefully, 

102 



trying to imagine yourself there in the forest, looking at 
things in the same inquiring way that Hiawatha did. 
What did the Indian think about the comet? the northern 
lights? the milky way? What interested Hiawatha on 
Summer evenings? Repeat the song to the firefly. What 
was the story about the moon? What stories have you 
heard about what is in the moon? What about the rain- 
bow? What were the birds called? Why? What were 
the animals called? Do you think Old Nokomis knew 
much about how to bring up a child? 

HIGGINSON, ELLA 

A writer, on the staff of the Seattle Sunday Times. 
She is the author of several volumes of poems and short 
stories. 

Selection: IV, 18. 

HIGH AND LOW 

(Tabb — III — 174.) A quaint little parable whose mean- 
ing is easy to grasp. Did you ever know people who were 
"stuck up" and thought themselves better than other 
folks who lived in the same street? Why was the slipper 
looked down on? Are you glad the slipper was chosen 
for the ball? Why? Do you see the little "conceit" in 
the title which makes it possible of literal application to 
the three things mentioned? 

HIGH COURT OF INQUIRY, THE 

(Holland — V — 23.) This extract is taken from the fifth 
chapter of Holland's "Arthur Bonnicastle," the most pop- 
ular of his stories. Arthur had been placed in the school 
which was called "The Bird's Nest," since it was pre- 
sided over by Mr. hm\ Mrs. Bird. Arthur had some bad 
faults and the. method of dealing with these at the school 
shows that some of the ideas of self-government which 
we hear much of at the present day are not at all new 
ideas. What was the charge brought against Arthur? 
Describe the scene. What big stories had Arthur told' 
Notice the formality of the judge. What did the boys 
do to make Arthur feel how ridiculous he was? How did 

103 



Mr. Bird explain Arthur's tendency to tell big tales? Did 
he think the best method had been taken for curing him? 
Do you think ridicule is a good method to use in curing 
one of his faults? Did it work in this case? H-ow did 
Arthur feel over it when the scene was finished? (You 
should read the rest of the book and find out if Arthur 
lived up to his good resolutions at the close.) 

HOGG, JAMES 

One of the greatest of the peasant poets of Scotland, 
after Burns. He was born in 1770, of a poor family, and 
had slight education. The most valuable thing in his 
equipment was the great store of folk stories about fairies, 
giants, etc., which he had from his mother. "The Queen's 
Wake" is, perhaps, his most imaginative poem. While 
popular and well known in his day he is now remembered 
mainly by a few stray pieces, particularly songs, such as, 
''Flora Macdonald's Farewell" and "When the Kye Comes 
Hame." He is generally referred to as the "Ettrick Shep- 
herd," from the parish in which he was born and where 
he is buried. He died November 21, 1835. 

Selection: III, 186. 

HOLLAND, JOSIAH GILBERT 

Born at Belchertown, Mass., July 24, 1819. Studied 
medicine, practiced for a short time, became a contributor 
to the "Knickerbocker Magazine," and later in 1849 be- 
came one of the editors of the "Springfield Republican." 
Sold his interest in this publication in 1866, and in 1870 
projected "Scribner's Magazine," now "The Century," of 
which he remained editor until his death in New York, 
October 12, 1881. He was unusually popular as a writer 
and lecturer on social topics, and his poetry and fiction 
have been widely read. "Arthur Bonnicastle" and "Bit- 
ter Sweet" may be named as representative works. 

Selections: IV, 194; V, 23. 

HOLMES, OLIVER WENDELL 

Born at Cambridge, Mass., August 29, 1809, graduated 
at Harvard, in the class of 1829; gave up law for the study 
of medicine; was professor of anatomy and physiology at 

104 



Dartmouth; and from 1847 to 1882 was professor of anat- 
omy at the Medical School of Harvard. While he wrote 
much along the line of his profession he is known mainly 
as a writer of brilliant verse, and as the author of the 
famous "Breakfast Table" series. Died at Boston, Mass., 
October 7, 1894. His collected works are published by 
Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston, Mass., in thirteen 
volumes. The authorized biography is in two volumes by 
John T. Morse, Jr., published by the same house. 
Selections: V, 130, 312. 

HOMES OF THE PILGRIMS 

(Anon. — III — 179.) Tell about the landing of the Pil- 
grims. How did they build their houses? What did they 
do for window glass? for latches? for furniture? for car- 
pets? for clothes? Why was the fireplace so important? 
State the ways in which their houses differed from ours. 
How did they get along the first winter? 

HOME THOUGHTS, FROM THE SEA 

(Browning — V — 310.) To understand this poem it is 
important first to get the scene clearly in mmd. Take 
your map of Spain and locate off the Southern coast the 
points mentioned. The speaker is on a ship which has 
just passed through the Straits of Gibraltar on the way 
to England, it is just at sunset, and he can gaze at once 
upon the scenes of several of the great naval victories 
that made England what she is to-day. As he thinks of 
the great services rendered by these English heroes to 
their country, to him as an Englishman, the thought and 
the sublimity of the scene, cause him to turn in a solemn 
mood and ask, "How can I help England"? And as he 
turns toward the east in this patriotic and religious mood 
he sees Jupiter, the evening star, over Africa. Your map 
will make all this clear. Now with these suggestions in 
mind turn to the poem again, put yourself in the author's 
place, see the glory of the picture as he saw it, and try 
to realize how an Englishman would feel about it. (Turn 
to Southey s account of Nelson's death and read that 
again.) 

105 



HOMES OF THE PEOPLE, THE 

(Grady — V — 150.) This selection is taken from one of 
the most impressive and poetic of Mr. Grady's speeches 
delivered at Elberton, Georgia, in June, 1889, called "The 
Farmer and the Cities." The passage differs much in 
form from the version that stands in the authorized 
memorial volume of Mr. Grady's "Life, Writings and 
Speeches" prepared under the editorship of Joel Chandler 
Harris. The changes are evidently for the purpose of 
simplifying the language and making it more like an es- 
say than would be likely in a speech delivered with strong 
feeling to an appreciative multitude. But the essential 
and sane point that the orator was driving home is pre- 
served. It is a good illustration of how a speaker carries 
the feelings of his hearers step by step toward a climax 
so that they seem to see so clearly that no contradiction 
would be possible. 

With what experience does the passage open? Why 
does the observer's "heart beat quick"? Upon what does 
he think the liberties of the country rest? What experi- 
ence is recorded in the remaining paragraphs? Why do 
you suppose he goes into such detail on this second ex- 
perience? Describe the surroundings of the home. Read 
the expressions by which he points out their beauty and 
general attractiveness. What qualities did he find within? 
What special objects did he notice and what did each 
suggest to him? What members of the family are men- 
tioned? Notice exactly what is said of each. Does the 
speaker make you feel that they are just what they ought 
to be? Read the beautiful language about each, making 
sure that you understand all that is said. Describe the 
scene with which the passage closes. What effect did it 
all have on the visitor? How does he change his gen- 
eralization about the foundation of the nation's great- 
ness? (Just before the passage quoted Mr. Grady had 
said: "But the government, no matter what it does, does 
not do all that is needed, nor the most; that is conceded, 
for all true reform must begin with the people at their 
homes." And just after the selection given in the reader 

106 



he said: "The homes of the people; let us keep them pure 
and independent, and all will be well with the Republic.") 
Ark of the covenant. The government. A scriptural 
reference to the chest in which the covenant, or tables of 
the law were kept. (See Exodus xxv, 10, and passages 
you can locate with concordance.) — Simple annals. Mr. 
Grady said this Bible "held the simple annals," referring 
to the family record found in the big family Bible. The 
word "beholding" changes the meaning, or at any rate 
obscures it. The expression "simple annals" is found in 
Gray's "Elegy": 

"The short and simple annals of the poor." 
Lien on crops. Reference to a custom of pledging the 
growing crop for indebtedness. — Knighthood. Knight- 
hood was conferred by touching the candidate on the 
shculder with the flat of a sword. Can you quote the 
fifth commandment? — Select and explain some of the fine 
figurative expressions, such as "Hps, trembling with the 
rich music of her heart," "the buckler of her husband," 
"Children, . . . seeking as truant birds, etc." These 
and other expressions full of strong emotional quality 
may be studied as a means of finding out how an orator 
produces the effects he wishes to produce. 

HONEST POVERTY 

(Burns — V — 108.) (The following very fine study of 
this poem is by Professor Thomas H. Briggs, of the 
Eastern Illinois State Normal, Charleston, 111., and is 
from No. 198 of Parker's "Penny Classics," published by 
C. M. Parker, Taylorville, 111. It is used here by per- 
mission of both Professor Briggs and Mr. Parker. Teach- 
ers would do well to write to Mr. Parker for a list of 
these very inexpensive supplementary readings.) The 
Roman numerals refer to the stanzas. 

It is well to become familiar with the meaning of the 
words in the glossary before you read the poem, for the 
lines are to express, not conceal, the thought. If you 
know any person of Scotch birth, be sure to ask him to 
read the poem aloud to you. The wonderful music of the 

107 



words is often lost by the reading of those who pretend 
to render dialect and who only mispronounce the words. 
But pronunciation is not all of dialect: there are peculiari- 
ties of phrasing and of tone that one who is not a native 
of the country rarely is able to get. But if you cannot 
learn from a native Scot how Burns' countrymen read the 
poem, you will not fail to get considerable of the spirit 
and music by pronouncing the words much as they are 
spelled. 

Do you like poems or stories written in dialect? Re- 
call a number, such as Rilej^'s verse and the Uncle Remus 
stories. Do they put you into a mood similar to that 
which you feel when talking to a person who does not 
speak English well? Tell of the mood as well as you can. 
Are you more critical of a poem written in dialect or of 
one in pure English? more sympathic with it? more in- 
terested in what the poet is saying or in how he says it? 
etc. 

Read the poem through, omitting the refrain, the last 
four verses of each stanza. Try to tell what you have 
lost. Now, read through, omitting the phrase "for a' 
that," making whatever changes are necessary to preserve 
the sense. Is there added loss? Do men ordinarily repeat 
words when very calm or when full of emotion? Does 
the repetition in this case add emphasis to the statements? 
Does it add anything else? 

What kind of man do you think would make such state- 
ments? Tell if you think he is excitable, or cool-headed, 
sound in his judgments, prejudiced, sincere, rich, etc. 
Some people get such a good idea of the speaker from 
the poem that they actually feel that they know how he 
looks. Do you? 

Under what circumstances do you imagine the hero 
speaking? It is told, wholly without truth, I believe, that 
Burns composed and recited this poem one evening at 
Edinburgh. He had been invited out to a party, so the 
stcry goes, by a nobleman; but instead of being asked 
into supper with the guests, he was kept in the kitchen 
until they were through eating and then called in to en- 

10S 



tertain them. This he did by reciting the poem given 
above. Although there is no good foundation for the 
story, it tells you some person's idea of how he should 
like to have had the poem composed and given. Com- 
pare this and the stories told by the members of the class 
and see which pleases you most. 

I—I-4 "The four lines, the sense of which is often 
misunderstood, may be thus interpreted: Is there anyone 
who hangs his head in shame at his poverty? If there 
is such a poor creature, we pass him by as a coward 
slave."— Wallace: "Life of Burns," IV, 186. 

Mention some of the causes of poverty. Which should 
be causes of shame likewise? Notice the kind of poverty 
that Burns speaks of. Is that a just cause for shame? 
Does he well name the man who would be ashamed of it. 
Explain. Is line 7 always true? more often in America 
or in other countries? What is the result when it is true? 
The last line is a cheering one to remember; the man him- 
self, whether rich or poor, high or lowly in rank, is "the 

gowd." .. 

II Nearly all poets have praised the simple lite as 
contrasted with that of silk and wine. Wordsworth's fine 
phrase is "plain living and high thinking;" the first by it- 
self, remember, does not necessarily create a "king o' 
men." Discuss the last two lines with some fulness, try- 
ing to see how they are indeed true, in practice as well as 

in theory. 

III. What a fine tone of just contempt is expressed 
here! The first two lines give a very vivid picture of the 
"birkie." What words especially indicate the speaker's 
contempt for him? 

IV. Knights, marquises, and dukes are created by the 
king, or by the prince, under certain restrictions, pre- 
sumably as rewards for conspicuous merit, though often 
it has been far from so. Why should a man crave to be 
what any prince can make him and yet often fail to make 
himself that far higher thing, what no prince has the 
power to make, an honest man? 

109 



V. Note what characteristic of man Burns has empha- 
sized in each stanza. If every man had all of them, would 
the ideal spoken for in this stanza be near? What are 
some of the things that prevent all men from being 
brothers, to all other men the world over? Do you think 
that would be an ideal condition? What are some of the 
changes that such a condition would cause? 

HOOD, THOMAS 

Born in London, May 23, 1799. He was both a humorist 
and a serious poet. Much of his humor depends upon 
puns and verbal oddities, but at his best he takes high 
rank in both the fields mentioned. Perhaps his best 
comic poem is "Miss Kilmansegg," while among his 
greatest poems of pathos are "The Song of the Shirt,'' and 
"The Bridge of Sighs." In many poems he combines 
pathos and humor in a curiously effective and whimsical 
way. His life was a tragic fight with ill health and pov- 
erty. During his last illness he was given a pension by 
the Crown of 100 pounds. He died on May 3, 1845. 

Selection: IT, 84. 

HOOK, STELLA LOUISE 

Selection: III, 198. 

HOUSEKEEPER, THE 

(Lamb — V — 250.) This is not really by Lamb, but is 
a translation from a Latin poem by Vincent Bourne. 
William Cowper, as well as Lamb, admired Bourne's 
poems greatly and translated many of them. Bourne was 
an English poet, born in 1695, died in 1847. Educated at 
Cambridge, and was a teacher in Westminster school. 
His volume of Latin poems passed through several 'edi- 
tions. 

What advantages are there in being able to carry your 
house around with you? After reading the poem care- 
fully, consider the significance of the title. Is the word 
"housekeeper" used in our sense? What touches of hu- 
mor in the account? — Sanctuary. Place of refuge. — Quar- 

110 



ter Day. In England the days that begin in each quar- 
ter of the year are those on which landlords and tenants 
begin and end their leases and on which rents are paid. — 
Chattels. Personal belongings, in this case referring to 
the furnishings procured from the upholsterer. 

HOW CINCINNATUS SAVED ROME 

A dictatqr .has absolute authority, and one is appointed 
in times of the very greatest national peril. What was 
there about Cincinnatus that made his selection seem 
noteworthy? What contrast between the office to which 
he was called and his occupation at the time? What was 
"this great peril" referred to? (The answer is in the third 
paragraph.) Give the details of the announcement to 
him, and of his trip to the city. Why were the people 
"fearing much"? What quality had Tarquinius for the 
position to which lie was appointed? Does this appoint- 
ment give you more confidence in Cincinnatus? State 
clearly all the steps he took for relieving the beseiged 
consul. Describe his plans for the battle. How did they 
work out? Explain the method, and the significance, of 
passing under the yoke. How was Cincinnatus honored 
for his success? For how long had he been appointed? 
Why did he resign so soon? Is it common to find men 
giving up great positions like this, because there is no 
more to do? How does it make you feel toward Cin- 
cinnatus? Do you see, from reading this, why the poet 
Byron called George Washington "the Cincinnatus of the 
West"? (See page 57 of the fifth reader.) — Consul. One 
of the two chief magistrates of the ancient Roman re- 
public. — Aequians. A people of ancient Italy who were 
in constant hostility with Rome. — Tiber. The river on 
which Rome is situated. — Lictors. Attendants who bore 
the "fasces" before such officers as had a right to such 
ceremony. Fasces is the Latin name for a bundle of rods, 
tied together with a red strap, and enclosing an ax, with its 
head outside. The number of lictors depended on the 
rank of the magistrate, a dictator being entitled to twenty- 
four. They marched in single file, cleared the way, and 

111 



warned passers-by to make proper obeisance. They al- 
ways accompanied the official in public. — Master of the 
Horse. An official appointed by the dictator to act as his 
chief subordinate. — Field of Mars. A large plain adjoin- 
ing ancient Rome, used for great public assembles. — 
Standard-bearers. Those who bore the military standards 
carried them in the front line on march. Does this ac- 
count for for what the zealous soldiers cried out to them? 
— Mount Algidus. A range of mountains where the main 
town of the Aequians was located. — Legion. One of the 
main sub-divisions of the Roman army. — Battle was on 
either side of them. After studying the account care- 
fully, make a diagram showing the approximate positions 
of the forces. — Under the yoke. The translation of the 
Latin expression, sub jugum. Do you see how "sub- 
jugate" came to have the meaning it does? — Triumph. 
Such spectacular celebrations of any great achievement 
have always been common. Witness Dewey's return after 
the Battle of Manila. 

HOW I DISCOVERED THE NORTH POLE 

(Church — III — in.) Where do seals live? What are 
their habits? Where do you find sea-gulls? Are seals 
ever caught for training purposes? Are they intelligent? 
Tell what happened to the seal after the men caught him. 
For what does the seal use his flippers? How did the 
seal know which way to swim to reach the sea and the 
northern water? Does a seal have to get air occasionally 
or is it like a fish? Does the seal's story of the polar bear 
sound true? What do you think a "gingerbernooster" 
looks like? Explain how it gave the tiger his stripes. 
What use did the seal make of his banjo in his northern 
trip? Tell what he found at the north pole? What is 
the joke in the seal story? 

HOWITT, WILLIAM 

An English author, born in 1792 at Heanor, Derbyshire; 
died at Rome, 1879. He was a very prolific writer, but 
most of his work was of the sort that every generation 

112 



needs to do over for itself. A few titles will show its 
kind: "Popular History of Priestcraft," "Rural Life of 
England," "Rural and Domestic Life in Germany." Some 
of his simpler poems of natural scenery are still found 
in many collections. 
Selection: IV, 90. 

HOW THEY SLEEP 

(Anon. — II — 93.) Tell how the different animals sleep? 
Do they make any preparation for it? What, in all the 
list, has most preparation made for going to bed? What 
has most care while sleeping? What do you think a bird 
would dream about? What would a mouse dream? What 
a cat? Go through the list and draw on your imagina- 
tion for the dreams they would dream? 

HUGHES, THOMAS 

Born at Newbury, England, October 20, 1823, educated 
at Oxford and became prominent in the legal profession. 
He wrote several famous books for boys, the best known 
being "Tom Brown's Schooldays" and "Tom Brown at 
Oxford." Died at Brighton, England, May 22, 1896. 

Selection: IV, 141. 

HUGO, VICTOR MARIE 

Born in 1802, one of the most distinguished French 
writers of the present century. Poetry, fiction, the drama, 
and criticism, were all produced by him. His prominence 
in political matters brought him into great public notice, 
and these strong political views, as well as his social 
views, colored many of his productions. The best known 
of his works is "Les Miserables," from which the account 
of the Battle of Waterloo in the fifth reader is taken 
Died in Paris in 1885. A brief biography may be found 
in the Great Writers series. 

Selection: V, 251. 

HUNT, FREEMAN 
Selection: V, 20. 

112 



HUNT, JAMES HENR ^H 

Born in Southgate, Engird, October 19, 1784, studied 
law, occupied a position in the War Office for a short time 
and then entered journalism. A great portion of his 
work was of no lasting interest and the most of it is al- 
ready forgotten. Of his longer productions the most 
famous is "The Story of Rimini." This poem may be 
found in No. 24 of the Modern Classics, published by 
Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston, Mass. Died at Putney, 
England, August 28, 1859. 

Selection: IV, 165. 

HURDIS, JAMES 

An English poet, born in 1763. Educated at Oxford, 
afterwards minister, and professor of poetry at Oxford. 
His best known works are "The Village Curate" and "The 
Tragedy of Sir Thomas More." He died in 1801. 

Selection: IV, 216. 

IF I LIVE TILL SUNDOWN 

(Grady^-V — 207.) This passage is taken from Mr. 
Grady's address delivered at the State Fair at Dallas, 
Texas, October 26, 1887, on "The South and Her Prob- 
lems." It is one of the closing passages in that magnifi- 
cent oration, to illustrate the point that the New South 
needs for the settlement of her problems the heritage 
left by the Old South "in manliness and courage," which 
is worth more than "broad and rich acres." Then fol- 
lows the section used in the reader a presentation of the 
manliness and courage referred to. And then follows this 
interpretation: 

"The world is a battle-field strewn with the wrecks of 
government and institutions, of theories and of faiths that 
have gone down in the ravages of years. On this field 
lies the South, sown with her problems. Upon the field 
swings the lanterns of God. Amid the carnage walks the 
Great Physician. Over the South he bends. 'If ye but 
live until to-morrow's sundown ye shall endure, my coun- 
trymen.' " Let us for her sake turn our faces to the East 

114 



and watch as the soldier watched for the coming sun. 
Let us staunch her wounds and hold steadfast. The sun 
mounts the skies. As it descends to us, minister to her 
and stand constant at her side for the sake of our chil- 
dren, and of generations unborn that shall suffer if she 
fails. And when the sun has gone down and the day of 
her probation has ended, and the stars have rallied her 
heart, the lanterns shall be swung over the field and the 
Great Physician shall lead her up, from trouble into con- 
tent, from suffering into peace, from death to life." 

Try to image clearly the scene and the condition of the 
wounded soldier. Try to put yourself in his place and 
imagine how you would feel. Why did he watch so 
anxiously for the approach of the surgeons? What do 
you suppose he thought when the surgeon shook his head 
and passed on? What hope did he hold out on his return? 
Why did the soldier hold so tenaciously to this hope? 
Hew did he strengthen himself against despair? What 
were the "stronger stimulants" by which he held on to 
the thread of life left him? Read the expression of each of 
these, trying to put into the reading the full force of the 
beautiful language. Are you glad such a man and sol- 
dier "was taken from death to life"? What inspiration 
can such a character furnish to us? The comparison of 
life to a battle-field is a very common one: What parallels 
between the two are suggested by this passage? 
IKTOMI AND THE COYOTE 

(Zitkala Sa— IV— 3S-) Iktomi is the spider fairy of 
Indian legend. He is shrewd and ingenious generally, but 
he seems for once to have met his match in the coyote. 
This is an easy story to dramatise and children will find 
much pleasure in imitating Iktomi's approach to the coy- 
ote, and other features of the story. What made him 
think the coyote was dead? Tell about the trip to his 
wigwam, or tepee. Describe a "blue wink." Why did 
the coyote wink this way? Tell about the roasting. How 
did Iktomi feel about what happened? What lesson did 
the coyote suggest before he ran away? Can you quote a 
common proverb which expresses the same idea? 

115 



I LIVE FOR THOSE WHO LOVE ME 

(Banks — III — 157.) A stanza from the only poem by 
this author that is remembered. It is a fine and simple 
expression of service as an ideal, a good stanza to com- 
mit and carry around in your mind as something to guide 
you, — as a touchstone of life. What are the things the 
speaker says he lives for? What one line sums it all up? 
How can one live "for the heavens"? Consider carefully 
what the word "heavens" means in this line. The sixth 
and seventh lines especially need thought. 

INCIDENT OF THE FRENCH CAMP 

(Browning — 1842 — V — 7.) Ratisbon is an ancient, city 
of Bavaria on the right bank of the Danube; also called 
Regensberg. It has endured no less than seventeen 
sieges since the tenth century, the last of which took 
place in 1809, when Napoleon stormed the town. It was 
at this time that the incident given took place. Mrs. Orr 
says: "The story is true; but its actual hero was a man." 
Cooke, in his "Browning Guide Book" says that no infor- 
mation other than that in the poem has been found. The 
incident is quite dramatic illustrating as it does the tradi- 
tion of a loyalty so intense that no greater honor is 
courted by the soldier than the opportunity of giving his 
life for Napoleon's success. Hence the touch of pride in 
the boy in the final stanza when for a moment Napoleon 
forgets the great victory at sight of the boy's wounds. 
But we have in this touch a new view of Napoleon as 
sympathetic, touched by the dauntless courage and force 
of will displayed by the youth. — What do you infer from 
line 1 as to the speaker? Describe Napoleon as he ap- 
peared on the storming day. (If the teacher can have a 
picture representing Napoleon on the field of battle, it 
will help the imagination here.) What thoughts were 
probably going through his mind? While in this mood 
what did he see? In what condition was the messenger? 
Was it easy to notice this? Why not? What message did 
he bear to Napoleon? What made the flash of triumph 
die out of Napoleon's eye? What comparison is used 

116 



here? What did he say to the boy? What was the 
answer? How do you account for the fact that the boy 
smiles? Do you admire him? Do you see anything at- 
tractive about Napoleon? — (It may be necessary to ex- 
pand a good many of the passages in this poem in order 
to make their meaning apparent. This grows out of 
Browning's habit of condensing as much as possible, and 
taking as many things for granted as possible.) — Prone. 
Bent downward. — Oppressive. Heavy. — Lannes. One of 
Napoleon's most celebrated marshals. — Flag-bird. The 
eagle was used as the symbol of France. The figure of 
the bird with outspread vans (wings) was on the top of 
each of the standards. — Notice the comparison in the last 
stanza. 

("This poem serves to introduce the form into which 
Browning throws so many of his narratives, the dramatic 
monologue. The speaker and the scene must be vividly 
imagined. In this case we may suppose a little group' of 
French veterans smoking their pipes over a glass of wine 
at an inn, and recalling incidents in their glorious cam- 
paigning with the Little General. The speaker is stand- 
ing, and begins in familiar story-telling fashion: 'You 
know we French stormed Ratisbon'; and, continuing, he 
insensibly assumes dramatically, Napoleon's customary at- 
titude, 'legs wide, arms locked behind.' The poem, then, 
is essentially one for free dramatic interpretation; it 
needs careful handling, especially in the fourth and fifth 
stanzas — the last desperate effort of the dying lad to de- 
liver his message — and the transition to the quieter, 
slower, tenderer manner of the concluding stanzas." — 
Chubb's "Select Poems of Browning.") 

INDIAN CHARACTER 

(Parkman — V — 308.) What three comparisons are used 
to illustrate different types of racial characters? What 
traits of the Indian make the comparison to a rock an 
appropriate one? What features of his nature particu- 
larly interest us? — Immutability — Unchangeableness. — Ir- 
reclaimable. Not capable of being civilized. — Rapacious. 

117 



Of grasping disposition — (Read some of Cooper's "Leath- 
er-Stocking Tales," especially "The Last of the Mohicans" 
for what is generally regarded as the greatest picture of 
Indian nature in our literature.) 

INDIANA 

(Bolton — IV — 201.) This poem is a distinct appeal to 
local patriotism. It is a common trait of human beings to 
believe that their own country, their own locality, is 
about the best place in the world. And it is probably very 
fortunate that it is so. In this poem you have a pretty 
complete catalogue of Indiana values and the poem might 
well furnish a suggestive list of topics for the study of 
Indiana life. For instance, in stanza 4, the contrast be- 
tween the past and present in methods of trasportation 
would suggest a wide line of study and investigation. But 
it is quite likely that the thing desired is that we join 
the great chorus of voices shouting the praises of the old 
Hoosier State. — Italia. Italy. — Helvetia. Germany. — Gal- 
lia. France. — Hispania. Spain. — Arcana. The plural of 
the word "arcanum." The expression, "the great arcanum," 
meant the supposed art of transmuting metals, of chang- 
ing the baser metals into gold. Why is this word ap- 
plicable to labor's processes? — Diana. The goddess of the 
moon; hence, substituted for "moon." — Savanna.. Wide 
plains. — Hammerfest to Samarcand. The first is one of 
the northernmost points of Europe while the latter is 
far in the east. The expression indicates the cosmopoli- 
tan character of the population as does the next line. 
— Mystic manna. The feeding of the Children of Israel 
on the way out of Egypt. See the sixteenth chapter of 
Exodus. — Canny. A word of many meanings, — probably 
"handy" here. — Heritage. Evidently "liberty." — Hosanna. 
An exclamation of praise. — Notice particularly the words 
that rhyme with Indiana. How many did the author need 
to find? Is it easy to find such words? Are any of the 
rhymes poor ones? Pronounce the rhyming words and 
notice the effect upon your ear. Does the rhyme sound 
well? In perfect rhymes the rhyming vowel sound and the 

118 



following consonant sounds (if any) are the same, while 
the preceding consonant sounds are different. 

INGELOW, JEAN 

Born in Boston, Lincolnshire, England, in 1820. She was 
averse to publicity and guarded the details of her life 
from the public. Her first book was published without the 
author's name. It was very popular and a succession of 
volumes in verse and poetry followed. "Off the Skell- 
ing's" is, probably, her best novel. "Mopsa the Fairy" 
has held its own as a child's favorite to the present day. 
Some of her poems, such as "Seven Times" and "High 
Tide on the Coast of Lincolnshire" have been popular 
favorites ever since their first appearance. Jean Ingelow 
died in 1897. 

Selection: IV, 156. 

INGRATITUDE 

(Shakespeare— IV— 96.) This lyric is sung by Amiens, 
a follower of the banished duke, in "As You Like It." It 
is found in the last scene of the second act. Shakespeare 
seemed to feel with especial force the monstrousness of 
ingratitude, as many references in his plays will show. 
In "King Lear" (Act I, Scene 4) we find the old king 
saying: 

"Ingrattitude, thou marble-hearted fiend, 
More hideous when thou show'st thee in a child 
Than the sea-monster!" 
And a little later he expresses the wish that Goneril 

" — may feel 

How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is 

To have a thankless child!" 
The words "tooth" and "bite" in the € lyric under con- 
sideration indicate that Shakespeare was personifying in- 
gratitude in the same general way. What is addressed at 
the beginning of each stanza? What are they told to do? 
Throughout "As You Like It" emphasis is laid on the 
point that the only drawback to the woodland life is the 
winter season (''Here feel we but the penalty of Adam, 

119 



the season's difference.") What comparisons are used 
as the basis of each stanza? In what way do these com- 
parisons show the evil nature of ingratitude? Compare 
the third lines of each stanza. Do they mean the same 
thing? Why is it customary to speak of cold as biting? 
What form of ingratitude does the poem suggest as 
especially bad? — So nigh. So near a vital spot.— Warp. 
In Shakespeare's time this word was used often instead 
of "weave," and has special reference to the fine network 
appearance of water when it is just beginning to freeze. 
(The chorus of the song, omitted in the reader, runs 
thus: 

"Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly: 
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly: 
Then, heigh-ho, the holly! 
This life is most jolly." 

IN SCHOOL-DAYS 

(Whittier— III— 208.) 

I. 

Let us look for a moment at the general plan and struc- 
ture of the poem. The poet is in a reminiscent reverie. 
His mind has wandered back to the past. An experience 
that had evidently made a deep impression on the boy's 
mind lingers still with the man. The dilapidated school- 
house is still in existence and certain facts about it help 
his mind to reconstruct the story of the past. But he 
has lived many years since the incident related — forty 
years since the heroine's death. These years of hard labor 
and struggle have served to impress a certain great fact 
upon his mind; viz, that the world is supremely selfish. 
But an opposite idea is expressed by the incident which 
memory brings up from the past, and his thought rests 
upon it with tender feeling and regret that more of the 
children in the world's great spelling class are not ac- 
tuated by the same sympathy for their defeated com- 
rades. What, then, are the general divisions of the poem, 
or its framework? First, a group of three stanzas dealing 
with the old school-house; second, a group of six stanzas 

120 



relating the main incident; third, a group of two stanzas 
connecting the past with the present and making an ap- 
plication of the truth expressed. 

II. 

What does the first group of stanzas do? What picture 
do they present? Describe the old school-house just as 
you see it. What other picture is brought before the mind 
by line 2 of stanza I? What two facts are brought out 
about the beggar? (Ragged, sitting by the road in the 
sun.) In what respect is the school-house like the beg- 
gar? What right had the poet to call the school-house 
a beggar? (The idea of the metaphor may be developed 
here, or the children may recognize the expression as 
such if they have had any explanation of figurative lan- 
guage heretofore. It is quite a question whether any- 
thing is gained by burdening the mind of the student, 
even in advanced classes, with the names of any save, 
possibly, the more common figures. If the pupil feels 
clearly the force of the comparisons all is gained that is 
necessary for an understanding of the poem.) What are 
"raps official?" Does the fact that the master's desk is 
"deep scarred" by them suggest anything about the nature 
of the school? Are there any other items in the descrip- 
tion that tell you anything about the school? Whittier's 
mind was evidently interpreting each item that arose be- 
fore it and these facts mentioned about the dilapidated 
building are indissolubly connected with the pupils who 
were associated with his youth there. Could he have told 
from the worn door sill alone what he did about the way 
the pupils came in and went out? 

Simple questions and directions like the above may be 
multiplied or decreased in number at pleasure, in order 
to stimulate the pupil to grasp the picture and enter more 
fully into the spirit of the poem. This losing of self in 
the new condition which the poet is bringing up before 
the mind is the end and the test of good teaching in the 
subject of reading. Consequently, any question that as- 
sists in naturally and quickly translating the reader into 

121 



the enchanted realm of the poet is a good question. Don't 
make the mistake of supposing that a system of questions 
may be tabulated that will serve for every selection 
studied. Remember that each piece of literature is an 
organism possessing a unity of its own; and that a study 
of it must display this unity and impress us with its 
organic qualities. 

III. 

What change in your picture takes place with stanza 
4? (Time, season, new items.) Persons introduced. De- 
scribe the little girl; the little boy. What state of mind 
is the little girl in? (Line 2 of stanza 5.) The little boy? 
(Line 4 of stanza 6.) What is each doing? (Stanza 7.) 
What do the actions mentioned in stanza 7 tell you about 
the children? What is the secret of the whole situation as 
told in stanza 9? Be sure that the pupils see how stanza 
9 gives the explanation of her grieving, her delay, his cap 
pulled low, his pride and shame, the restlessness of stanza 
7, the caressing hand and the trembling voice. Was the 
little girl's confession a difficult one to make? How did 
her action differ from what most children would do after 
"turning down" another? This second group of stanzas is 
the one that presents in concrete form the poet's meaning. 
The introductory and concluding groups serve to lead up 
to the story in the one instance, and to make the appli- 
cation in the other. 

IV. 

No questions can be formulated that will bring out the 
full pathos of the retrospect of stanza 10. A full apprecia- 
tion will come only with a fuller knowledge » of life than 
the child possesses and it may fitly be left .until that time. 
"That sweet child-face" which is the embodiment of the 
love (the sympathy, the unselfishness) that nullifies the 
natural exultation of triumph (selfishness) is still a motive 
force in the poet's life although 

the grasses on her grave 
Have forty years been growing! 

What analogy is suggested in line 1 of stanza 11? In 
what sense is life like a school? Why say "hard" school? 

122 



What fact has the poet's experience in this school im- 
pressed upon his mind? What improvement does the 
poem suggest in the relation of human beings to each 
other? VVhittier was a preacher as well as a poet, but his 
preaching is of such fine quality that we do not mind be- 
ing preached at. Try to state in your own language the 
meaning of this poem, and show what some of the results 
would be if the people lived the ideal there set forth. 

V. 

It is valuable sometimes for the teacher to formulate 

his work on a poem in order that the eye may take in 

its plan. It enables him to plan his exercises with more 

defmiteness. The following scheme is given for what it 

is worth. It explains itself. 

Stanza. I. Introduction. 

i The Old School- Location, surrounded by sumachs 

house. and blackberry vines. Scarred 

desk, warping floor, battered seats, 

carved initial. Frescos, worn sill. 

II. Development. 

Theme (motive, central thought) : 
Love (unselfishness) in triumph. 
Evening scene years ago. 
5 The Incident: 
A little girl ex- 
presses sorrow 
for her triumph 

because of love LIumiliated boy. 
for the one de- 
feated. Both hesitate. 

8 She determines to speak. 

9 Her confession and apology. 

III. Conclusion. 

What memory shows. — Her 

death. 

What life has taught. 



io Retrospect 

and 
II Reflection. 



123 



VI. 

In the preceding I have endeavored to emphasize the 
fact that the end of all reading is the bringing of the 
mind of the reader into intimate touch with the thoughts 
and feelings of the author as he has expressed these in 
permanent forms by means of language. Any kind of ex- 
ercise or drill which stimulates the mind of the child to 
grasp with more clearness and with a wider comprehen- 
sion the thought of the author is a good one. It should be 
noted here that it is not the business of the teacher to 
spend the recitation period elaborating the thought of the 
poem and explaining it to the class. It is the business of 
the teacher to devote himself to stimulating the mind of 
the pupil so that it, of its own free activity, may grasp 
with the least waste of energy the thought and feeling of 
the poem. 
IN THE ORCHARD 

(Sherman — IV — 238.) What is the real picture pre- 
sented? What is the fanciful comparison in the poet's 
mind? Point out all the fanciful parallels between the 
two. Which fancies please you most? Read the lines 
that bring them out. (Adelina Patti (born 1843) was the 
most popular singer of the last half of the nineteenth 
century. She is still living, in retirement, at Craig-y-Nos 
Castle in South Wales. Why does the poet select her for 
his comparison rather than some less known singer?) 
IN TRUST 

(Dodge — II — 107.) Why are we always glad to wel- 
come a new year? Where does a New Year come from? 
Can we buy ,a year or beg one from anybody? Think 
what a year would be like, if you were forced to spend 
every moment of it on yourself? Why should the years 
be better all the time and each fuller of service than the 
one before? In what sense does God merely lend us the 
year? 

IRENE THE IDLE 

(Escott-Inman— III— 123.) A very plain moral tale, 
bringing out a lesson of such common need that no child 

124 



will have trouble in seeing its application to his own case. 
Where was Irene taken by the fairy? What instructions 
were given her? Notice that the instructions, while in 
prose arrangement, are really in rhyme. Write them so 
that they look like poetry. What was the first fault that 
showed itself in Irene? What trait came out in connection 
with the dishes? What is the moral stated in the clock's 
song? Tell the story of Part II. How did Irene's faults 
make trouble for her? What lesson do the minutes em- 
phasize in their chorus? What was the final result of 
her fairy experience? Do you think it would be easier and 
pleasanter to learn this lesson through watching Irene 
than to find it necessary through actual work in the world? 
Do you know of anybody who ought to have the ring 
that Irene did not need any longer? 

IRVING, WASHINGTON 

Born in New York City, April 13, 1783, studied law but 
was never interested in its practice and early gave him- 
self up to literature. He first attained great prominence 
by the publication of "Knickerbocker's History of New 
York" in 1809. From that time on his successive works 
were received with great popular favor. Irving was a 
friend of Scott's and spent a number of years abroad, 
mainly in England and in Spain where he gathered the ma- 
terial for his extended writings on Spanish legendary and 
historical subjects. Among his most readable books may 
be mentioned the "Sketch Book," "Bracebridge Hall" and 
"The Alhambra." His last work was the "Life of Wash- 
ington" in five volumes completed just previous to his 
death. During the latter portion of his life he lived at 
Sunnyside near Tarrytown on the Hudson. Died No- 
vember 28, 1859. The authoritative editions of Irving's 
works are published by G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 
although most of them are out of copyright. "Life and 
Letters" in three volumes by his nephew, Pierre M. Irv- 
ing, by the same house, and Life by Charles Dudley 
Warner in American Men of Letters series. Selection: 
V, 330. 

125 



ITINERANT PIONEER PREACHER, AN 

(Thompson — V — 202.) This selection is good for bring- 
ing. clearly before the pupil's mind some of the conditions 
of pioneer life. Describe the traveler's outfit. If any- 
thing mentioned is not understood, have the children ask 
some older person and in that way annotate the passage. 
Perhaps some have seen the old-fashioned saddle-bags, or 
the rifle, or the implements for making the fire. Boys, 
who can find a piece of punk in the country, will enjoy 
trying to start a fire by the method described. By find- 
ing how difficult it is in dry weather, they can understand 
Elder Thompson's difficulties. Tell of his experience with 
the Indians. What traits of character in the Elder and in 
the Indians are brought out by this experience? 

"IT IS A BEAUTEOUS EVENING, CALM AND 
FREE." 

(Wordsworth — V — 263.) This is one of Wordsworth's 
finest sonnets, and one of the most popular. — What scene 
is in the poet's eye as he writes? Study it until, in imag- 
ination, you can stand in the presence of this same 
scene. What makes him compare the evening to a nun? 
What is the "eternal motion" of line 7? Notice all the 
words referring to the spirit of the evening. What feeling 
does Wordsworth have in its presence? Does he make 
the scene appeal to you? The last six lines evidently 
refer to his sister Dorothy. What characteristics of her 
nature do you find brought out? Read the story of 
Lazarus and the rich man in the 16th Chapter of Luke, 
beginning with the 19th verse, for the meaning of the 12th 
line. Remember that great poetry is generally concerned 
with bringing about significant states of feeling through 
the appeal made by suggestive imagery. In this sonnet 
the mood }s essentially religious. The picture of nature 
is so presented that the result is like worshiping in some 
magnificent cathedral. 

JACKAL AND THE CAMEL, THE 

(Anon. — III — 9.) This is a familiar Hindoo legend. 
What showed the friendliness of the jackal and the 

126 



camel? How did the meaness in the jackal's nature show 
itself? How did his explanation of his action still further 
show his bad qualities? How did the camel get even? 
Was he justified in what he did? Do you suppose the 
jackal learned anything from his experience? 

JACKSON, HELEN HUNT 

Born at Amherst, Mass., October 18, 1831, resided in 
the East until 1873, when she went to Colorado for the 
benefit of her health, married Mr. W. S. Jackson there and 
spent the remainder of her life mainly in that State. She 
died in San Francisco, August 12, 1885. Her best known 
books are "Romona," and "A Century of Dishonor," both 
dealing with the treatment of the Indians by the govern- 
ment of the United States, the first named book being in 
the form of a novel. She also wrote delicate bits of verse 
and several books for children. Selection: V, 32. 

JEFFERSON'S TEN RULES 

(Jefferson — III — 15.) Try to think of some specific il- 
lustration for each of these rules. Which ones strike you 
as being especially practical? How could you spend your 
money before you had earned it? What is the meaning 
of the figurative expression in the ninth? What is the 
point to counting when angry? Do you think many people 
need the seventh rule? State that rule in a more familiar 
form. You can do it in two words. 

JEFFERSON, THOMAS 

Born April 2, 1743, at Chadwell, Va.; graduated at Wil- 
liam and Mary College; admitted to the bar; member of 
the House of Burgesses; member of the Continental Con- 
gress; chairman of the committe to draft the Declaration 
of Independence; Governor of Virginia; Minister to 
France; Secretary of State under Washington; President 
of the United States from 1801 to 1809; founded the Uni- 
versity of Virginia in 1819; died at Monticello, Va., July 
4, 1826. (John Adams died on the same day.) "Life" in 
the American Statesmen series. Selection: IV, 15. 

127 



JEWETT, SARAH ORNE 

Bom in South Berwick, Maine, in 1849. She wrote a 
large number of stories, generally short stories, dealing 
with New England life, and her work is especially marked 
by the sympathetic portrayal of the gentler sides of New 
England character. Of her many volumes may be men- 
tioned "Deephaven," "A Country Doctor," "The King of 
Folly Island, and other People." She died in 1909. 

Selection: V, 52. 

JONATHAN'S FRIENDSHIP 

(Bible — V — 238.) This is a part of the 20th chapter of 
I Samuel. It shows the marvelous affection between 
David and Jonathan. The envy in the heart of King Saul 
is a source of danger to David and it is in respect to his 
safety that we have the conversation in the text. First 
there is the covenant of friendship made between them. 
Explain how Jonathan plans to let David know of Saul's 
attitude toward him. There was no sacrificial feast at the 
new moon. Ezel, means "that showeth the away." — What 
did Saul refer to when he said David was unclean and 
therefore did not come to meat? What excuse did Jona- 
than make for David? What did he bring upon his head 
by his loyalty to David? 

JONSON, BEN 

One of the greatest of the Elizabethan dramatists. The 
date of his birth is in doubt, but is usually given as 1573. 
He seems to have made some reputation as a scholar, as 
both universities gave him the degree of M. A. For a 
time he was with the English army in the Low Coun- 
tries, then returning to England seems to have taken up 
writing for the stage about 1595. Among his best known 
plays are the comedies, "Every Man in His Humor," 
"Volpone," "Epicoene, or the Silent Woman," "The Al- 
chemist," and the tragedies "Sejanus" and "Catiline." As 
compared with Shakespeare's plays, Jonson's are formal 
and pedantic and lack the sane outlook upon life found 
in the former. Classic ideals dominated his work. He 

128 



died August 5, 1673, and his tombstone in Westminister 
Abbey bears the inscription. "O rare Ben Jonson." 
Selection: V, 234. 

JORDAN, DAVID STARR 

Born at Gainesville, New York, January 19, 1851. Gradu- 
ated at Cornell University, and later while connected with 
the Fish Commission began under Agassiz those studies 
that have made him one of the greatest authorities on 
fishes in the world. Much of his life has been spent in 
connection with commissions and public work in this field. 
In 1885 he became president of Indiana University, leaving 
in 1891 to become the first president of Leland Stanford 
Junior University, a position which he still holds. In 
addition to many scientific works Dr. Jordan has published 
several ethical addresses that have awakened wide in- 
terest, such as, '"Voice of the Scholar," "The Call of the 
Twentieth Century," "The Human Harvest." He has 
written verse of no mean quality and a very successful 
juvenile called "The Book of Knight and Barbara." 

Selection: IV, 1. 

JO'S SACRIFICE 

(Alcott — V — 70.) One of the dramatic passages in Miss 
Alco'tt's "Little Women." What did the telegram to Mrs. 
March tell them? Can you tell by reading the selection 
whether they were very well-to-do or not? What was the 
sacrifice Jo made? What justification of her act did Jo 
make? Relate the story told by Jo about her hair. What 
sympathetic person did she find at the barber's? How 
was this sympathy shown? Why did Jo cry after going 
to bed? Does the passage end hopefully or otherwise? 

JUST A LITTLE 

(Anon. — III — 187.) Draw upon the child's experience in 
planting grains and flower seeds for an understanding of 
the thought in this little poem. What child has not dug 
up a part of its garden to see what the seeds are doing and 
why it takes them so long to grow? What does a seed 
need besides darkness in order to grow? Where is the 

129 



little plant before it comes out of the ground? Can you 
hurry the growth of a plant? Can you help a little 
chicken to come out of the egg-shell? What are you apt 
to do to the plant and the chicken if you try to hurry 
beyond Nature's plan? 

JUST YOU AND I 

(Anon. — III — 230.) This poem is so simply put that it 
needs very little elucidation. There is just one thought 
running through it and that is. that kindness and good 
cheer are contagious. You can illustrate to the child the 
idea of contagion by the diseases of childhood. Then give 
him the suggestion that goodness and happiness are also 
"catching." When one is sulky and cross, the whole 
world seems in the same humor. When we radiate sun- 
shine and kindness, people catch and reflect these moods 
back to us. 

KEARY, ANNA MARIA, AND ELIZA 

Daughters of an Irish clergyman. Anna wrote several 
novels of Irish life, by which she was best known. The 
two collaborated on some books for children, of which 
the folowing were the most popular: "The Heroes of 
Asgard and the Giants of Jotunheim; or, the Week and 
its Story," and "Little Wanderlin, and Other Fairy Tales." 

Selection: III, 217. 

KEATS, JOHN 

Born in London, October 29, 1795. Published "Endy- 
mion" in 1818, was a writer of exquisite beauty and 
finished taste, and left considerable in the way of frag- 
mentary work which indicates that he would have achieved 
greater prominence had he lived. He died in Rome. 
February 23, 1821. Life by Sidney Colvin in English Men 
of Letters series. Selection: V, 77. 

KEEPING STORE 

(Butts — II — 46.) Do you know how the milk-weed gets 
its name? What is the white down for, in the life of the 
plant? Do you know what the word aster means? Why 

130 



docs golden rod seem a good name for that plant? What 
part of the pine tree are the pine needles? What are 
they used for? Where does cobweb thread come from? 
Bachelor's button, a small flower resembling a button. — 
Why do hollyhocks make good caps for dolls? Would 
you like to clerk in this kind of a store? Why? What 
time of year do you think it must be? 

KELLER, HELEN ADAMS 

Born at Tuscumbia, Alabama, in 1880. An attack of 
scarlet fever at the age of nineteen months left her with- 
out the senses of sight and hearing. When eight years 
old her education was undertaken by Miss Anna Sullivan, 
and Miss Keller has become remarkable for her intel- 
lectual attainments, including the power of speech. She 
graduated from Radcliffe College, Boston. Her life is 
recorded in the autobiography called "The Story of My 
Life." 

Selection: IV, 204. 

KEY, FRANCIS SCOTT 

Born in Maryland. August 9, 1780. He was educated at 
St. John's College, Annapolis, Md., studied law and prac- 
ticed first in Frederick, Md., and afterward in Washing- 
ton. During the British attack on Baltimore in 1814 he 
went to the British fleet under a flag of truce and was de- 
tailed there while the bombardment of Fort Mctlenry 
was in progress. There he composed "The Star-Spangled 
Banner" based upon his experience, and it immediately 
became the most popular of our patriotic songs. He 
wrote other poems, but his fame rests on this one alone. 
He died in Washington, January 11, 1843. 

Selection: IV, 243. 

KING AND THE SPIDER, THE 

(Anon. — II — 42.) Is fighting hard work? Is it surpris- 
ing that Robert Bruce was discouraged after fighting six 
battles to no purpose? He was king of Scotland and was 
fighting against the English. Was weaving a web just 

131 



as hard for the spider as fighting a battle was for 
Robert Bruce? Plow did the little spider give him cour- 
age? 

KIPLING, (JOSEPH) RUDYARD 

Born in Bombay. India, December 30, 1865. His father 
was a teacher of art in India. Kipling was educated in 
England and returning to India engaged in journalism. 
He contributed much of his best early work to the papers 
with which he was connected. He had trouble at first to 
find a publisher in England and the United States. When 
he succeded in 1890 his work achieved an .enormous suc- 
cess and he has since been, probably, the most widely 
read author in the language. From 1892 to 1896 he lived 
in the United States, but has since spent most of his time 
in England. His work possesses tremendous vigor, he is 
a born story-teller, and has the power of "the fine phrase." 
In poetry and in prose, particularly the short story, he 
stands first among the writers of his day. Some of his 
work has already achieved the rank of the classic. Among 
such titles may be mentioned, "The "Man Who Would be 
King," "The Drums of the Fore and Aft," "The Brush- 
wood Boy," "The Recessional," "The White Man's Bur- 
den." Of his books that are especially for young folks 
may be mentioned the two volumes of "The Jungle 
Books," "Captains Courageous," and "Just-so Stories." 
Much of his early work may be had in cheap editions, 
while complete editions may be had from his authorized 
publishers, Doubleday, Page and Co., of New York City. 
Selection: V. 365. 

KITTYKIN AND HER PART IN THE WAR 

(Page— IV— 5.) What was the part that Kittykin 
played in the war? Do you suppose that the soldiers 
from the two opposing armies would have joined together 
if nothing was concerned except a scared kitten in a tree? 
Tell the story of what happened as fully as you can. 
What do the terms "Johnny" and "Yank" mean? Notice 
that Evelyn had a "mammy" and a "mamma": Explain. 

132 



What was there humorous about the situation at the 
close? Does this story suggest the presence in the world 
of any force stronger than that which produces war? — 
Trap-ball. By means of a spring balls are thrown into 
the air for practice in marksmanship. 

KROUT, MARY HANNAH 

Born in Crawfordsville, Ind., in 1857. After several 
years spent in teaching she devoted herself to journalistic 
work. She has travelled extensively, and has written many 
series of letters on the lands and peoples visited. Among 
her publications are 'Alice in the Hawaiian Islands," "Two 
Girls in China," "Picturesque Honolulu." Miss Krout re- 
sides in Crawfordsville. 

Selection: III, 121. 

LAD WHO WENT TO THE NORTH WIND, THE 

(Dasent— III — 142.) The kind of safe in the story is 
different from what we are used to, it being a sort of store- 
room where supplies are kept. Why would you expect 
the North Wind to have a loud gruff voice and rough 
manners? Do you think it took the meal to show an ill 
will? Why not? How did it make up to the lad? What 
happened to the magic cloth? When did the lad find he 
had been tricked? What did the North Wind give the 
lad on his second visit? Ducats, either one of several 
European coins, valued from eight-three cents to two 
dollars and twenty-five cents. What happened to the ram? 
What was the third gift from the North Wind? How 
did the lad make this gift serve his purpose? What was 
the result of this trip? 

LAMB, CHARLES 

Born in London, February 10, 1775 ; educated at the 
School of Christ's Hospital and afterwards a clerk in the 
South Sea office and in the office of the East India Com- 
pany. Lamb is noted mainly as an esayist, his finest work 
in this direction being published under the title of "Es- 
says of Elia." As a literary critic he paid much attention 
to early English literature, editing "Specimens from the 

133 



English Dramatic Poets." The "Tales from Shakespeare," 
written by him in connection with his sister, Mary, forms 
one of the best books for young people. Died at Edmon- 
ton, England, December 29, 1834. Life in English Men of 
Letters series. 

Selections: IV, 167, 250. 

LAMPLIGHTER, THE 

(Stevenson — III — 11.) Before the day of electric lights, 
a lamplighter made the rounds to light the lamps in the 
streets. In small places this is still the custom. Is the 
ambition of this child of a rich banker, to go about with 
the lamplighter, an unusual or strange fane}'? What is it 
in the life of the lamplighter that fascinates the child? 
Why does he lay so much stress upon the daily greeting 
of the lamplighter? 

LANDING OF THE PILGRIM FATHERS, THE 

(Hemans— IV— 168.) The full title of this poem is "The 
Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers in New England," and it 
has prefixed to it this stanza from Bryant: 

"Look now abroad! Another race has fill'd 
Those populous borders — wide the wood recedes, 
And towns shoot up, and fertile realms are till'd; 
The land is full of harvest and green meads." 
The thought in this stanza serves by contrast to bring 
out in strong relief the scene of the landing. The stanzas 
of the poem may be thought of as falling into four groups 
according to the movement of the thought: (1) The first 
two stanzas give an account of the stern and forbidding 
circumstances under which they arrived. (2) The next 
four tell us how they came. (3) The seventh and eighth, 
tell us who were in the company and hint some of their 
characteristics. (4) The last two stanzas tell us what 
they sought and what they have handed down to us. — 
What is the picture presented in stanzas 1 and 2? Would 
it suggest a pleasant and comfortable home to the col- 
onist? What three methods of coming are given in stanzas 
3 and 4? Notice how the last one is contrasted with both 

134 



the others. What was the spirit of their song? What 
was the welcome they received? Where is the answer to 
the question in stanza 7? What can you learn about these 
Pilgrims from stanza 8? W T hat possible purposes of 
colonization are given in lines 2 and 3 of stanza 9? Why 
are these mentioned? (For contrast with their real pur- 
pose, given in the last line of stanza 9.) Why call "the 
soil where first they trod" "holy ground?" — The language 
of this poem needs to be considered very carefully. Its 
sonorous quality is fitted to express the sublimity of the 
idea for which the Pilgrims stood, — freedom of worship. 
— St. 4. The flying. Fugitives from justice, seeking a 
place to hide. — Mrs. Hemans would not have spoken of 
the coast as "stern and rockbound" if she had looked up 
her geography carefully. It is really sandy where the 
landing occurred. Does it make any difference as to the 
merit of the poem? What she is concerned about is to 
awaken a certain feeling toward the Pilgrims. 

LANG, ANDREW 

One of the most prolific of English writers. He was 
born at Selkirk, Scotland, March 31, 1844; educated at 
Saint Andrews University and at Oxford; a classical 
scholar of distinction. He assisted in making fine prose 
translations of the "Iliad" and the "Odyssey." "Custom 
and Myth," and 'Myth, Ritual, and Religion" are important 
studies. In the field of history, among many titles, one 
of his best works is "A History of Scotland from the 
Roman Occupation." He has written much charming 
society verse, and many contributions to biography and 
literary criticism. He has compiled fairy books almost 
without number, calling them by the colors, as "The 
Yellow Fairy Book," etc. Contributions to magazines and 
other periodicals cover almost every conceivable topic. 

Selection: III, 211. 

LANGUAGE THAT NEEDS A REST 

(Hawkins— V— 259.) The writer has hit upon a very 
attractive plan of calling attention to the misuse of some 
words ?nd the "overworking" of others. Explain what 

135 



took place. Study carefully the complaints of the various 
expressions and think over your own habits of speech. 
Are you in the habit of using many of the expressions 
mentioned in the selection? Don't make the mistake of 
supposing that such use is criminal. Language should 
not be allowed, to harden into forms that destroy its flexi- 
bility, but the purist is as dangerous as the liberal when 
he undertakes to shut us out from expressions that custom 
approves. 

LANIER, SIDNEY 

Born at Macon, Georgia, February 3, 1842; graduated 
at Oglethorpe College, Georgia, in i860, and served in 
the Confederate Army during the war; studied and prac- 
ticed law for a while in Macon, removing in 1873 to Bal- 
timore, Maryland, where he chiefly resided until his death. 
Here he devoted himself to the study of literature and 
music. His success as a poet led to his appointmemt as a 
lecturer at Johns Hopkins University in 1879. His lec- 
tures resulted in two books, "The Science of English 
Verse" and "The English Novel." He also edited several 
classics for children. Died at Lynn, N. C, September 
7, 1881. His works are published by Charles Scribner's 
Sons, New York. The authoritative memoir is prefixed 
to the volume of his poetry. 

Selection: V, 214. 

LANTERN AND THE FAN, THE 

(Anon. — II — 17.) Why did the two little girls make 
the promise so hastily? When did they first realize what 
a hard thing they had promised to do? Would you ex- 
pect a beautiful fairy to give them a good or a bad sug- 
gestion? How was Nan Kin able to carry fire in a paper 
to her father? How was Tsi Ann able to carry wind in 
a paper to him? What was the father's motive in mak- 
ing this strange request? Would it be at all hard to find 
a paper lantern and a paper fan in China? 

LARCOM, LUCY 

Born at Beverly, Mass., in 1826. While working in the 
mills at Lowell, Mass., she attracted the attention of 

136 



Whittier by some contributions to a local journal. She 
was, for a time, a teacher, and later edited "Our Young 
Folks." Her fame rests almost entirely on her poetry. 
She died at Boston, April 17, 1893. 
Selection: V, 156. 

LASTING FRIENDSHIP, A 

(Anon. — III — 38.) The biblical story upon which the 
selection is based, may be found in I Samuel beginning 
with the eighteenth chapter. Bring out the difference in 
the stations of these two men. What was the occasion of 
David's first visit to the home of Jonathan? What other 
service did David render Saul besides playing for him? 
What made Saul envious of David? Was Jonathan en- 
vious? Did Jonathan take sides with his father or his 
friend? How did David prove his friendship to Jonathan? 
How did Jonathan prove his friendship to David? What 
did David say in his song, of his friend Jonathan after 
his death? What was the most valuable thing in the 
world to David? Did he deserve to be king? 

LAYING THE CORNER-STONE OF THE BUNKER 
HILL MONUMENT 

(Webster — V — 275.) This selection is made up of para- 
graphs from the early part of Webster's oration. It was 
delivered on the 17th of June, 1825, and the following 
paragraph will serve as introduction to the scene: 

"It was a typical June day, and thousands flocked to 
see the pageant and to hear the greatest orator in the 
land. The procession started from the State House at 
ten o'clock. The military led the van. About two hun- 
dred veterans of the Revolution rode in carriages, and 
among them were forty survivors of the battle. Some 
wore their old uniform, others various decorations of 
their service, and some bore the scars of honorable 
wounds. Following the patriots came the Monument 
Association, and then the Masonic fraternity to the num- 
ber of thousands. Then came the noble Frenchman, 
Lafayette, the admiration of all eyes. Following him 
were numerous societies with banners and music. The 

137 



head of the procession touched Charleston bridge before 
the rear had left the State House, and the march was a 
continual ovation. Arriving at Breed's Hill, the Grand 
Master of the Masons, Lafayette, and the president of the 
Monument Association laid the corner-stone, and then 
moved Lo the spacious amphitheatre on the northern side 
of the hill, where the address was delivered by Mr. Web- 
ster." 

After reading the extract through carefully, turned back 
to the beginning and consider in detail the special point 
of each paragraph. Remember that the orator on an oc- 
casion like this is trying to express the feeling that more 
or less possesses each member of the audience and also 
to interpret for them the significance of this feeling, and 
to deepen and broaden it. Notice the general nature of 
the first paragraph, the evidences of the common effect 
of the occasion. In the second, the local associations are 
mentioned which justify the strong emotions present. 
What are they? In the third is a general statement of 
the reasons for choosing this particular time and place 
and day for the purpose stated. What are the reasons? 
The fourth paragraph expresses the hope that the work 
so auspiciously begun will be carried to completion. Why? 
The last four paragraphs elaborate the objects to be 
accomplished, the purposes to be served, by the monu- 
ment. Select and read the sentences that state these 
purposes most effectively. Does it seem to you that 
Webster's language has a sublimity about it in keeping 
with the occasion. Select some of the passages that seem 
to possess this quality in special degree. — Society 
organ. The society was the Bunker Hill Monument As- 
sociation, and Webster, the president of the association, 
officiated as its representative or organ. — Cloud of wit- 
nesses. Can you locate this Bible reference? 

LAYING OF THE CORNER-STONE OF THE NEW 
STATE HOUSE, THE 

(Hendricks — V — 30.) An extract from the speech of 
Mr. Hendricks on the occasion mentioned. How is the 

138 



character of a people determined? Upon what founda- 
tions was the State established? How have these early- 
pledges been kept? Why is the State House an impor- 
tant building? (Second paragraph.) Explain the refer- 
ence to the temple of the Ancient Israelites. (Read 
especially Matthew XXII. With a concordance locate 
other references that will help understand the important 
part of the temple in the life of the Israelites.) Upon 
what two bases can we predict a great future for the 
State? (Third and fourth paragraphs.) Which is the 
important consideration? Why? 

LEAK IN THE DIKE, THE 

(Gary — III — 231.) As a preparation for this story it 
would be well for the class to be told about the system 
of dikes by which Holland is protected from the sea, and 
for them to dwell upon the danger of the slightest break 
in these. Recall the few facts given in the primary geo- 
graphy about Holland. What task did Peter's mother 
give him to do? What kind of a boy was Peter? How 
is that shown in the poem? When was Peter expected 
back? What did the mother say when he failed to re- 
turn? Tell about Peter's homeward trip. What does he 
say to the sea? What effect does the trickling sound 
have upon him? What does he do? Why does Peter lay 
his ear to the ground? W T hat does his mother think when 
they bring Peter home? What do the bearers of the 
boy's body shout to the mother and father? Why is this 
a good story for fathers to tell to their sons? What do 
we call such conduct as Peter's? 

Sluices. Flood gates. 

LEAVES AT PLAY 

(Sherman — III — 27.) Does the word ''scamper" ex- 
press in a satisfying way, the motion of the autumn 
leaves? What is meant by the old wind "laughing"? 
About how long after the leaves fall before snow comes? 
What is meant by the leaves getting tired? What is the 
"snow-dovny coverlet"? How is the old wind responsible 
for tucking the leaves in their coverlet? Do the leaves 

139 



seem to really romp? How can they dance across the 
autumn day? Why should the wind say good-night to 
the leaves? What good comes of the long sleep of the 
leaves? 

LETITIA AND THE REDCOATS 

(Price — IV — 132.) What news did Letitia bring her 
grandmother? What do you observe about the language 
spoken? How does it differ from our everyday speech? 
When did the story told here, happen? How can you tell? 
What scheme did Letitia hit upon? What led her to 
think of it? On what points did she base her appeal? 
Why did she write two copies? How did she manage to 
leave the notes without being found out? Tell what took 
place when the red-coats took possession. Why did they 
spare the gander? Did the red-coats have a keen sense of 
humor as wel! as kind hearts? 

LINCOLN 

(Lowell — V — 200.) This is an extract from Lowell's 
famous "Commemoration Ode" read at the Harvard 
memorial ceremony in honor of those sons of the univer- 
sity who had lost their lives in the Civil War. Naturally 
in the course of such a poem he would turn to the great- 
est figure of that crucial period as an example of what 
the highest and truest manhood means. 

What is the old saying about Nature's method? What 
new plan did she adopt in regard to Lincoln? What does 
that account for? Why does the poet refrain from prais- 
ing Lincoln? How does his fame contrast with that of 
the great captains (generals)? Why liken him to a tower? 
What epithets are used to characterize Lincoln? Do 
they seem to you well chosen? Does the language have 
the dignity and sublimity appropriate for a memorial oc- 
casion'* Show this by reading it. 

LITTLE BLUE FOX, THE 

(Jordan — IV — 1.) A few years ago a very remarkable 
book by David Starr Jordan, President of Leland Stan- 
ford, Jr., University, called "The Book of Knight and 

140 



Barbara," was published. It consisted of a great variety 
of stories on many themes and illustrated with pictures 
made by children after hearing the stories. Some of 
these stories were versions of old myths and legends, 
some were ordinary popular legends, some told the life 
history of animals, and some were inventions pure and 
simple, but all had the humorous touch and the oral 
.quality so dear to the child. 

Describe the character and home of the little blue fox. 
Imitate the noises made by him and his children. De- 
scribe the sea parrot and his nest. What humorous fea- 
tures has he? What do you think happened when the fox 
found him? How can you be sure? What did the fox do 
when he came upon the man on the ground? What does 
"like a scared buzz-saw" mean? 

LITTLE BROWN HANDS 

(Krout— III— 121.) What is the suggestion in the fact 
that the little hands are brown? What does the knowl- 
edge of so many living things signify as to the manner 
of life? Explain "scarlet-iipped," "hammock-nest." Chisel. 
Tool used by sculptor in carving.— Palette. Tablet on 
which artists lay their colors.— Name all the great men 
and women you know who came from humble origin. If 
you were an artist what picture in the poem would you 
paint that would most successfully express in your estima- 
tion the theme? 

LITTLE LEAF, THE 

(Beecher — II— 58.) This beautiful little fable is one of 
a number of stories for children in a novel by the au- 
thor, called "Norwood." There are a few lines of com- 
ment in conection with the story of the little leaf that 
are worth quoting. Mr. Beecher says: "How charming it 
is to narrate fables to children? How daintily do they 
carry on the conscious dramatic deception! They know 
that if the question were once got in upon them, 'Are 
these things true'? the bubble would burst and all its 
fine color would disappear. Children are unconscious 
philosophers. They refuse to pull to pieces their enjoy- 

141 



ments to see what they are made of. Rose (the little 
girl for whom the fable was told) knew as well as her 
father thai leaves never talked. Yet Rose never saw a 
leaf without feeling that there was life and meaning in it." 
Why was it that the tree knew so much more than the 
leaf? What was the leaf's work? What was the color 
of its work clothes? When its work was over, what kind 
of holiday clothes did it put on? Why does the author 
speak of the leaf being whirled "like a spark of fire"? 

LITTLE WARRIOR'S COUNSEL 

(Grinnell — IV — 117.) Upon what does Little Warrior's 
claim to be called a hero rest? How does he contrast 
with other heroes? Give the historical setting of the 
story. How had the Ute disguised himself? How was 
he found out? What were the main points in Little 
Warrior's argument? Study it carefully, taking notice of 
the very simple, forcible nature of the language. What 
was the result of his efforts? What impression of Indian 
character do you have after reading this? Do you agree 
that this is a story of a real hero? — Coup. This French 
word meaning a stroke, has a special meaning when ap- 
plied to the Indians. It means a stroke that captures the 
weapon or horse of an enemy, and may thus be used 
to mean the trophies of war, or brave deeds of which 
these trophies are evidences. — Ti-ra-wa. The deity of 
war. 

LOTI, PIERRE 

This is the name assumed by a French novelist and 
naval officer whose real name is Jean Marie julien Viaud. 
He was born in 1850. He saw much of the world, and 
in his novels made use of the results of his travels, locat- 
ing the scenes in strange places and writing strange, im- 
pressionistic romances, powerfully tinged with melan- 
choly. Those best known in English translations are 
"Madame Chrysantheme," The Island Fisherman," and 
"Disenchanted." The autobiography of his early years 
called "The Story of a Child" has also been translated 

142 



and published in this country. From this latter a selec- 
tion is taken for the fifth reader. 
Selection: V, 153. 

LONGFELLOW, HENRY WADSWORTH 

Born at Portland, Maine, February 27, 1807; graduated 
at Bowdoin College in 1825; spent three years abroad 
preparing for professorship of modern languages at Bow- 
doin; kept the same chair at Harvard from 1836 to 1854; 
spent the remainder of his life in quiet literary work in 
Cambridge; died March 24, 1882. His first poetic work 
of any prominence was '"The Voices of the Night," pub- 
lished in 1839 and containing several of his best known 
shorter poems. Among his longer works are "Evange- 
line", "Hiawatha" and the collection of Tales of a Way- 
side Inn." His translation of Dante is of first value. The 
authoritative biography of Longfellow is that prepared 
by his brother, Samuel Longfellow, and published in 
three volumes. A briefer life may be found in the Great 
Writers Series, by Professor Eric S. Robertson. The 
authorized edition of Longfellow's works is published by 
Houghton, Mifnin & Company, Boston, Mass. The ex- 
piration of the copyrights on a large portion of his work, 
including "Hiawatha" and "Evangeline," has resulted in 
various cheap editions of those portions of his work. 

Selections as follows: III, 139; IV, 60, 175; V, 39. 

LOUNSBERRY, ALICE 

Selection: III, 183. 

LOWELL, JAMES RUSSELL 

Born at Cambridge, Mass., February 22, 1819; grad- 
uated at Harvard in 1838; admitted to the bar but never 
practiced; interested in anti-slavery movements, published 
the "Vision of Sir Launfal," "A Fable for Critics" and the 
first series of the "Bigelow Papers" in 1848. These 
brought him popularity. He became the first editor of 
"The Atlantic Monthly" in 1857, and later edited "The 
North American Review," was a prose writer of great 
force and a diplomat of first rank, representing the 

143 



United States in Spain and England; died August 12, 1891. 
The authorized edition of his work is published by Hough- 
ton, Mifflin & Co., Boston, Mass. The most valuable bio> 
graphical material is found in his letters, in two volumes, 
edited by C. E. Norton. The best brief life is by Ferris 
Grenslet. 

Selections: IV, 74; V, 200. 

MACKAY, CHARLES 

Born in Perth, Scotland, 1812; early entered the field 
of journalism and devoted his life to literature. While 
the author of a large number of books, he is popularly 
known almost entirely by his songs, many of which he 
himself set to music. He was correspondent of the "Lon- 
don Times" in the United States during the Civil War. 
Died in London, December, 1889. 

Selection: IV, 210. 

MAGGIE RUNS AWAY FROM HER SHADOW 

(George Eliot — V- — no.) This extract is one of the 
familiar passages from "The Mill on the Floss." Extracts 
from novels are likely to be unsatisfactory because the 
understanding of the passage generally depends upon 
many things that are found in preceding portions of the 
book. Mrs. Tulliver had taken Maggie and Tom and 
their cousin Lucy Deane for a visit with Aunt Pullet at 
Garum Firs. Aunt Pullet's was a rather depressing place 
for youngsters, and Maggie having, as was her nature, 
impulsively lost her temper and pushed Lucy into the 
mud, had started away on another impulse. Keep in mind 
that Maggie was a child and did not know as much about 
distances and directions and people as she might be ex- 
pected to some day. 

Where did she decide to go? Why did she decide to let 
her father know, secretly, where she was? What ex- 
periences and thoughts came to her on the way? Where 
do you think Maggie had gotten her notions about 
gypsies? What disappointments did she suffer in regard 
to them? How did she expect to improve them? What 
did she talk to them about? What further fall occurred 

144 



in her gypsy ideals? Why did she decide to go home? 
Tell of her trip home? Can you tell from the final scene 
why she loved her father so well? — The great thing about 
this passage is its fine analysis of the child mind. Does 
George Eliot make you feel that you understand just how 
things looked to Maggie at every step? — Apollyon. The 
terrible giant in "Pilgrim's Progress" with whom Chris- 
tian had a fierce struggle. Maggie had read that book: 
have you? — Skewer. A pointed stick of hard wood. — 
Jack the Giant Killer. The hero of one of the best known 
child's stories. — Mr. Greatheart. A very important char- 
acter in the second part of "Pilgrim's Progress." — St. 
George. The Patron Saint of England. Where did Mag- 
gie get her image of St. George? 

MALORY, THOMAS 

The author of the famous collection of legends which 
cluster around the career of King Arthur and his Knights 
of the Round Table, called "Morte d'Arthur." It belongs 
to about the year 1470, and is one of the great monuments 
in our literature. Little is known about Malory, though 
conjecture has been busy. Professor Kittridge's theory 
that he was a Knight of Warwickshire who died in 1470, 
has more to justify it than other theories. The King 
Aithur legends are the basis of many modern pieces of 
literature, notably Tennyson's "Idylls of the King." The 
"Morte d'Arthur" was printed in 1485 by Caxton, who 
divided it into books and chapters. 

Selection: V, 295. 

MARYLAND YELLOW-THROAT, THE 

(Van Dyke — V — 124.) How does the poet tell you 
what season is at hand? A poet's method is to present 
his truths by appealing to our imaging faculty. Thus in- 
stead of naming the season he will picture certain features 
of it, — those features that induce the proper state of mind 
necessary to appreciate what he has to say. Explain the 
second iine. What one element in this scene does he 
center the attention upon? Notice that this object makes 
two appeals; one to our hearing, the other to our sight. 

145 



What word does he repeat to suggest the music of the 
bird? What does this word do other than to reproduce 
the note of the bird? (Incantation is something that 
throws one under a spell. In connection with witchcraft 
it always meant an evil influence. Is it so here?) What 
comparisons suggest the movements of the bird? The 
last two stanzas are based upon a play on a word; notice 
it ; n the second line of the third stanza. And then recall 
your old nursery rhyme: 

"Mary, Mary, quite contrary! 

How does your garden grow? 
With silver bells, and cockle shells, 

And little maids all in a row." 

How does the poet work the "witching" effect of this 
rhyme into his tribute to the bird? — Have you read any 
other poems in which there are refrains? What does the 
refrain do? 

MASQUE OF THE SEASONS, A 

(Riley — II — 167.) A masque was a play; formely in 
vogue, in which the actors impersonated mythological 
deities, Goddesses, etc. This selection will be more easily 
understood if parts are taken by pupils and the dramatic 
feature emphasized. In the speech of Little Mandeville 
make the point as to why the Summer-time is the time 
for the circus. What is the color of the ruby? Why do 
the bees sting the grapes? How does a little child feel 
when her heart has all it can hold? What is the Queen's 
reason for sending all four seasons? 

MATTHEWS, (JAMES) BRANDER 

Eorn at New Orleans, February 21, 1852. Educated at 
Columbia, studied law, but soon turned to literature, to 
which he has devoted his life as writer and teacher. Fic- 
tion, drama and criticism are all found in his long list of 
books. In recent years he has been active as chairman 
of the Simplified Spelling Board. Since 1892, he has been 
professor of dramatic literature at Columbia. Among his 

146 



stories may be mentioned, "His Father's Sons," "Tales o£ 
Fantasy and Fact," "A Confident To-morrow." 
Selection: V, 3_I3- 

MEANING OF THE FLAG, THE 

(Dole— IV— 239.) Impress if possible the extent of the 
American Nation. Compare its territory with that of 
England, for example. Recall the many interests it pos- 
sesses in other countries, and the extent to which its 
citizens are scattered over the globe. Call to mind the 
fact that wherever these interests exist, and wherever the 
American goes, he finds his flag. The question then 
arises, "What is the meaning of the flag?" Before ans- 
wering this question ask the price we paid for it, (1) in 
the American Revolution; (2) in the Civil War. Of what 
does the flag assure us? Is there a reciprocal obliga- 
tion? Why does the writer say the flag is one of peace? 

MILLER, EMILY HUNTINGTON 

Born in Brooklyn, Conn., October 22, 1833. Graduated 
at Oberlin in 1857. Her husband was professor of Greek 
and Latin at Northwestern University and later an edi- 
tor of "The Little Corporal." After his death in 1882, 
Mrs. -Miller devoted herself more completely to literature 
and club movements. From 1891-98 she was dean of wo- 
men of Northwestern University. Her present home is 
at Englewood, N. J. Her poems have fine lyric quality 
and over a hundred of them have been set to music. 

Selection: III, 196. 

MILLER, JOAQUIN 

An American poet whose real name is Cincinnatus 
Heine Miller. His "nickname" was taken from a Mexican 
bandit, of whom he wrote a defense. Miller was born 
in Indiana, November 10, 1841. When a child, his parents 
moved to Oregon, and his life has been a varied and 
active one. He has been lawyer, judge, editor, filibusterer 
(with Walker's expedition to Nicaragua, in 1855), travel- 
ler, journalist, playwright, and poet. His poetry has, per- 
haps, been more highly regarded in England than in his 

147 



native country. His little poem entitled "Columbus" is 
widely known. Mr. Miller at present lives near Oakland, 
California. 

Selection: V, 306. 

MILLER, HARRIET MANN ("Olive Thome Miller") 

Born at Auburn, N. Y., in 1831. As an author of 
various books about birds and as a lecturer on birds she 
has done much oi great value along educational lines. 
"Little Folks in Feathers and Fur," "Bird Ways," "Little 
Brothers of the Air," are some of her well known books. 

Selection: III, 28. 

MILTON, JOHN 

Generally ranked as the greatest English poet after 
Shakespeare. He was born in Bread Street, London, 
December 6, 1608. Educated at Cambridge. Milton was 
of retired, studious habits and became a fine classical 
scholar. Giving up the idea of preparing for the church 
he retired to his father's estate at Horton and for six 
years gave himself to the study of his favorite classics. 
This period also gave us the briefer, and more widely 
read poems of Milton, "L'AUegro" and "II Penseroso," 
"Comus," "Lycidas" and the fragment of "Arcades." 
Each in its field is a masterpiece and with the "Nativity 
Hymn," written while still at Cambridge, comprise the 
work of his first period. 

In 1638 he went to Italy and while travelling there 
heard of the threatening state of affairs in England. He 
returned at once and during the twenty years ending 
with the Restoration of Charles II, in 1660, devoted him- 
self to the cause of the Commonwealth. Under Crom- 
well he was the Latin Secretary of State. If some pam- 
phleteer attacked the government, Milton was the mouth- 
piece that replied. Questions of policy, education, di- 
vorce, freedom of the press, — all these were topics dis- 
cussed at great length and with great clearness and force. 
The most famous of these essays was the "Areopagitica," 
which dealt with the freedom of the press. A few son- 
nets include his poetic work of this period. He used his 

148 



"left hand," as he said, entirely. During this period he 
lost his sight. 

Milton escaped the fate that befell so many at the Re- 
storation, and, in retirement, turned his energies to the 
great project of his life, the writing of an epic based on 
the fall of man. "Paradise .Lost" was published in 1667, 
to be followed by "Paradise Regained," and the "Sam- 
son Agonistes," a poem on the model of the Greek 
tragedy. He died November 8, 1674. Milton's poetry is 
marked by sublimity of thought and imagery. 

Selection: V, 38. 

MISS BILLY 

(Peary — III — 68.) The name Ah-ni-ghi-to is the Es- 
kimo for "Snow-baby." What was "Miss Billy's" house 
made of in the snowland? Why had she never seen a 
bush, or a house, or a train of cars? How do they travel 
in her country? Can you see a reason why an Eskimo 
does not bathe? Why did "Billy" call the horses big dogs? 
What is there about an engine that would make "Billy" 
think it was an animal and might eat people? Why does 
the writer speak of "Billy" as a "dusky" maiden? Why do 
the Eskimos eat nothing but meat? How do they get 
their light and heat? — Blubber. Whale fat. — Why does the 
writer call "Billy's" country, the land of the midnight 
sun? What incident makes you sure that "Billy's" visit to 
America did not cause her to forget her early habits. 

MIST, THE 

(Ewald — IV — 230.) Impress every detail of the ex- 
qusite picture in the first few paragraphs of the selection. 
It is a fitting prelude, as it were, to the rising of the 
curtain on the real scene between the mist and the night- 
scented rocket. This flower, sometimes called the Dame's 
Violet, has no odor in daytime, but becomes very fragrant 
at night. Note as you proceed, the capricious, and elusive 
quality in the mist's conversation as well as its conduct. 
— Churl. A low-bred fellow. — When the rocket asked the 
mist who he was, what was the answer? Why didn't the 
rocket believe him? Follow very carefully the circle in 

149 



which the mist's experience travels. Why did it make 
the rocket's head swim? The picture of the mist's going 
is the reverse of the one that prefaced his coming. What 
was the mist's last word to the rocket? Did she believe 
it? Did the sun understand the entire situation when he 
spoke as he did to the rocket. 

MONTHS, THE 

(Coleridge — II — 28.) This poem if committed will 
afford a happy way of fixing the months in their order. 
Many of the associations are more English than American. 
Primroses, gilly flowers, and pheasants are more familiar 
to the English child than to the American. Draw upon 
the child's own experience for associations with the dif- 
ferent months. 

MOODY, WILLIAM VAUGHN 

Born at Spencer, Indiana, in 1869. Educated at Har- 
vard, and later an instructor in English there. From 1901 
to 1907 he was a professor in the University of Chicago. 
Since then he has been engaged in literary work in New 
York. His first work was "The Masque of Judgment," 
published in 1900. His shorter works are full of poetic 
energy and show a thoughtful mind at work on the 
social problems of the day. A play, "The Great Divide," 
in 1907, has had a great success. More recently he has 
published another drama called "The Faith Healer." 
Among his finer poems may be mentioned "An Ode in 
the Time of Hesitation," "The Managerie," and "Glouces- 
ter Moors." 

Selection: V, 328. 

MOORE, CLEMENT C, 

Born in New York City, July 15, 1779, graduated at 
Columbia College and was professor of Hebrew at the 
General Theological Seminary of New York from 1821 
until his death at Newport, Rhode Island, July 10, 1863. 
The most noted of his poems is "A Visit from St. 
Nicholas", found in III, p. 89. 

150 



MORN TILL NIGHT ON A FLORIDA RIVER 

(Lanier — V — 214.) What does the first sentence tell 
you about the story to follow? Is all the rest simply an 
elaboration? Locate and describe the scene. What fit- 
ness in using the word "lone" for the river? What did 
they see of special interest? Describe the water-turkey. 
Read a passage or two which bring out the humor of its 
make-up. Tell all about 'the handsomest residence in 
America." What features of the. river impress the travel- 
lers as they go farther up? What made it "a night of 
glory"? What do you learn about the duties of pole-men? 
What is the way to sleep under such conditions as de- 
scribed? Do you think you would like it better than a 
berth? This selection is full of the most beautiful, de- 
scriptive language. Select a number of the passages that 
appeal to you most. — Ornithology is the science that 
deals with birds. — Sprat. Name of a small fish. — Saurian. 
A scaly reptile with legs. — Meanders. The Meander is a 
river in Asia Minor. Its slow, winding course gave rise 
to the verb, and suggests its meaning. — Ineffable means 
incapable of being expressed in words. Does it refer to 
the lillies themselves or to the feeling produced by their 
beauty? — Explain the last sentence. Is that the ideal of 
what a vacation ought to do for one? 

MORTIFYING MISTAKE, A 

(Pratt — III — 150.) Mortifying. Humiliating, vexatious. 
— Are some of the numbers in the multiplication tables 
harder to remember than others? How did the older 
sister think that calling the doll "Fifty-four" would help 
remember "six times nine"? DTd Dorothy really have a 
right to laugh at Elizabeth's mistake? Why? What was 
the result of her laughing? Whose was the funniest 
mistake? How do you account for Dorothy's answer? 

MOSES SELLS THE COLT 

(Goldsmith — V — 173.) This extract (revised) is taken 
from Chapter XII of "The Vicar of Wakefield," one of 
the famous stories in English literature. It was pub- 

151 



lished in 1766, and is the story cf a simple-hearted old 
clergyman and his family. In this story, with all its ar- 
tistic faults, Goldsmith gets close to the heart of humanity 
and brings the novel "down to the village fireside." The 
selection given is one of the best known episodes in the 
story. It is told in the first person, the old vicar being 
the speaker. 

What scheme does the family decide upon? Why? 
Why do they decide to send Moses? How was he "rigged 
out" for the fair? What opinion did Moses's mother have 
of him? Are you impressed with the soundness of her 
judgment? What surprised them when they saw Moses 
returning? Was Moses satisfied with his bargaining? 
What was found out when the spectacles were examined? 
How did his mother feel about it? Give Moses's account 
of the way he was cheated? What impression of the 
vicar do you get from this pasage? What are some of 
the amusing things in the story? 

Discreet. Wise. — An omission in the last line of the 
first paragraph obscures the sense. It should read, "He 
always stands out and higgles, and actually tires them 
till he gets a bargain." Stands out means persists, while 
higgles means strives for advantage' in a petty way. — 
Commission. Authority to act for another. — Buckles. 
Where? — Cocking. Turning up the brim. — Thunder-and 
lightning. Wollen cloth of a very dark gray color, known 
as Oxford mixture: also called Oxford gray, and pepper- 
and-salt. — Gosling Green. A yellowish green. The origin 
of the term is evident. — Tied his hair. What does this 
tell you about the way young men wore their hair at 
that time?— Deal. Pine. — Sell his hen, &c. A proverbial 
expression, meaning to get cheated. — Shagreen. A kind 
of leather, made without tanning, from the skins of 
horses. — Paltry. Worthless. — Talked him up. Over per- 
suaded. 

MUD-WASP'S HOME, THE 

(Hook — 111 — 198.) Why does mud make good build- 
ing materia!? Why is it particularly good for the wasp? 

152 



What is the shape of her rooms? Does she put live 
spiders into the little rooms with the eggs? What tools 
does the wasp use? Why are the homes of the mud- 
wasps more wonderful than the adobe houses in Mexico? 

MUIR, JOHN 

Born in Dunbar, Scotland, April 21, 1838. After coming 
to the United States he graduated from the University 
of Wisconsin. He has spent his life in the work of an 
explorer and naturalist, paying special attention to the 
less known portions of North America. He has been very 
prominent in the cause of forest preservation and the 
establishment of National parks, He has written ex- 
tensively for periodicals on his favorite themes. He is 
the author "Our National Parks" and "The Mountains of 
California." 

Selection: V, 264. 

MULETS, LENORE ELIZABETH 

Selection: III, 192. 

MURRAY-AARON, EUGENE 

Born at Norristown, Pa., August 4, 1852. An editor 
and geographer. Among his publications are "The New 
Jamaica" and "The Butterfly Hunters in the Caribbees." 
Lives at Wilmette, 111. 

Selections: IV, 85; V, 85. 

MUSIC BOX, A 

(Brown — II — 64.) In the music box where do you look 
for the works that make the music? Is this poem writ- 
ten about the kind of a music box that is made out of 
wood and metal? Where do you look for the works that 
make the music in the little human music box? Why 
does the poet speak of its playing "its little living tune"? 
How can the works in this kind get tangled up? What 
conditions are necessary in order that this music box 
will always play in tune? Is its music always that kind 
that can be heard with the ear? 

153 



MY FUNNY DOLLY 

(Tucker — II — 20.) What is the first thing in the poem 
that makes you think this is a funny dolly? What is the 
second? Yokohama, a seaport on the main island of 
Japan. — What is funny about the dolly's looks and its 
clothes? What kind of little boys and girls would you 
find in Yokohama? Would an American dolly named 
Tommy Jones seem just as funny to the little girl in 
Yokohama, as Ko-Chung-Kee does to us? 

MY MOTHER 

(Loti — V — 153.) This little episode, or impression, is 
taken from the fifth chapter of Loti's "The Story of a 
Child." That book is an autobiography of his childhood 
written in middle life and its qualities are thus expressed 
by Edward Howard Griggs: 

''There is hardly a fact in the book. It tells not what 
the child did or what was done to him, but what he felt, 
thought, dreamed. A record of impressions through the 
dim years of awakening, it reveals a peculiar and subtle 
type of personality most necessary to understand. All 
that Loti is and has been is gathered up and fore- 
shadowed in the child. Exquisite sensitiveness to im- 
pressions whether of body or soul, the egotism of a na- 
ture much occupied with its own subjective feelings, a 
being atune in response to the haunting melody of the 
sunset, and the vague mystery of the seas, a subtle melan- 
choly that comes from the predominance of feeling over 
masculine power of action, leading one to drift like 
Francesca with the winds of emotion, terrible or sweet, 
rather than to fix the tide of the universe in the center of 
a forceful deed — all these qualities are in the dreams~~of 
the child as in the life of the man. And the style? — 
dreamy, suggestive, melodious, flowing on and on with 
its exquisite music . . . ." 

Later in the same chapter from which the passage in 
the reader is taken Loti comments on the experience de- 
scribed, thus: 

154 



"Because of my mother alone have I been able to keep 
intact the faith of my early days. . . I cannot very well 
understand why the vision of my mother near my bed of 
sickness should that morning have impressed me so 
vividly, for she was nearly always with me. It all seems 
very mysterious; it is as if at that particular moment she 
was for the first time revealed to me. 

'And why among the treasured playthings of my child- 
hood has the tiny watering-pot taken on the value and 
sacred dignity of a relic? So much so indeed that when 
I am far distant on the ocean, in hours of danger, I 
think of it with tenderness, and see it in the place where 
it has lain for years, in the little bureau, never opened, 
mixed in with broken toys; and should it disappear I 
would feel as if I had lost an amulet that could not be 
replaced. 

"And the simple shawl of lilac barege, found recently 
among some old clothing laid aside to be given to the 
poor, why have I put it away as carefully as if it were a 
priceless object? Because in its color (now faded), in 
its quaint Indian pattern and tiny bouquets of violets, I 
still find an emanation from my mother; I believe that I 
borrow therefrom a holy calm and sweet confidence that 
is almost a faith. And mingled in with the other feelings 
there is perhaps a melancholy regret for those May 
mornings of long ago that seemed so much brighter than 
are those of to-day. . . ^ . But this chapter will cer- 
tainly seem ridiculous to those who are strangers to an 
all absorbing love, they will not be able to imagine that 
T have a deep pity to exchange for their cynical smiles." 
—Barege. A thin gauze-like fabric. 

MY SHADOW 

(Stevenson — II — 73.) It is not the purpose of the au- 
thor to give the child anything like a scientific explana- 
tion of a shadow. The main point to be accomplished is 
to arouse in the child's mind a keen interest in this ca- 
pricious little image of himself. A certain sense of mys- 
tery combined with the humor of its antics, makes it a 

155 



fascinating object. Every child has had sufficient experi- 
ence with shadows to draw upon his imagination for a 
key to the poem. Arrant, genuine or thorough. 

NAME OF OLD GLORY 

(Riley — V — 97.) What is the question asked of Old 
Glory in the first stanza? What reply came? In the 
second and third stanzas what questions and what replies? 
What can you infer as to the person asking the question? 
Does the reply come before the speaker has reached the 
climax of his patriotic fervor? Do you suppose that means 
that Old Glory's significance is hidden except to the 
patriot? Does the questioner elaborate more than the 
mere beauty of the flag before the answer comes? How 
does the language of Old Glory's reply differ from that of 
the questioner? What does the "shake of the voice" indi- 
cate? Commit Old Glory's answer. What do you notice 
about the regularity of the metre and stanza structure? 

NESBIT, WILBUR DICK 

Born at Xenia, Ohio, September 16, 1871. Journalist 
and humorist, at present engaged on Chicago papers. He 
writes with the facility of the expert journalist, and his 
verse turned out under these conditions is more or less 
transient in interest, but is always stimulating and of 
much merit. He is the author of "The Gentleman Rag- 
man," "The Land of Make-Believe and other Christmas 
Poems," and other volumes. ** 

Selection: V, 279. 

NEW KENTUCKY HOME, THE 

(Perry — IV — 212.) This selection is taken from a book 
called "The Story of Daniel Boone." Boone had spent 
five years as a trapper wandering through the wild region 
of Kentucky. In the year 1773, he had attempted leading 
a few families into this region, but was turned back by 
an attack from the Indians. This was the occasion of the 
death of the eldest son. How did Daniel Boone show 
his courage and ability as a leader on this trip to Boones- 
borough? Palisade, a fence made of strong stakes firmly 

156 



set in the ground forming an enclosure or fortification. — 
What was the great charm of this new home? Describe 
their method of furnishing protection to themselves. 
Browsed, fed upon, grazed. — What diversions had this 
little colony? What was the tragedy of this year? How 
were their physical needs provided for? Salt licks, places 
where animals go to lick salt from salt deposits that have 
cropped up. — What was the result of Daniel Boone's little 
settlement? What kind of men and women does it take 
to make such ventures? 

NEW KIND OF DINNER, A 

(Sharp — III — 108.) Why was the toad put in a wide- 
mouthed bottle to thaw out? "Hyla" is the generic name 
of the tree toad, hyla being a Greek word meaning wood. 
How does the tree-toad sleep? How often does it shed 
its skin? What does it eat? Is there a difference be- 
tween frogs and toads? What service do toads render 
vegetation? This lesson is of necessity one in zoology 
rather than one in literature. A few more facts concern- 
ing toads will increase the interest. 

NEW TEACHER, THE 

(Eggleston — IV — 19.) This is an incident taken from 
"The Hoosier Schoolboy" by this author. What was the 
first impression made by the new teacher upon the 
school? What was the result? How were his methods 
different from those of his predecessor? What personal 
rebuke did he give Riley? What was the occasion? Was 
he justified? What was the result? What speech of 
Riley justified the teacher in punishing him in the 
manner he did? When did the sympathy of the school 
begin to turn in favor of the teacher? Was Riley's con- 
duct contrary to the one rule of the teacher? Does the 
manner of his punishment satisfy your sense of justice? 
What quality in the teacher made him equal to the 
situation? 

NEWTON 

(Hawthorne — IV — 78.) This selection is taken from the 
sketch of Newton, prepared for young people by Haw- 

157 



thorne. Fix in mind the facts of Newton's life. What 
traits of character were prominent in him? How are these 
traits illustrated? What were some of Newton's impor- 
tant contributions to science? 

NICHOLSON, MEREDITH 

Born at Crawfordsville, Ind., December 9, 1866. For 
several years he was on the staff of "The Indianapolis 
News." From 1898 to 1901 he was engaged in business 
in Colorado, since when he has devoted himself to liter- 
ary work in Indianapolis. In 1891 he published a small 
volume of poems, but in recent years has confined him- 
self mainly to fiction. Several of his volumes have been 
very popular. Among them are "The House of a Thous- 
and Candles," "The Port of Missing Men," and "The Lit- 
tle Red Jug at Kildare." 

Selection: V, 210. 

NIGHT BEFORE THANKSGIVING, THE 

(Jewett — V — 52.) Describe clearly the situation of 
Mrs. Robb. Why was she so sad? What reminiscences 
did she engage in? Do you understand why she did not 
want to go to the town farm? Why was she glad that 
those she loved did not know of her situation? Tell 
clearly what happened. What do you think of John 
Harris? What is meant by "her own folks had come"? 
Why was the night before Thanksgiving an appropriate 
time for all this to take place? 

NIGHT WIND, THE 

(Field — III — 57.) To the imaginative child the night 
wind has many nameless terrors, all of which are cleverly 
put in this poem for children. Be sure to impress the 
figure of the night brooding outside, and when questioned 
as to whom it wants, answering in its ghostly way: 
"Yooooooo"! This feeling is intensified in the second 
stanza by the child's recalling that his mother had said 
when the wind went wailing so, somebody had been bad. 
Is there a suggestion in this stanza of an uneasy con- 
science? Ruefullest, most sorrowful. — Is not the tension 

158 



relieved in the last stanza? What is responsible for it? 
Pick out all the expressions that describe the tone or 
effect of the wind. Much of the effect in reading will de- 
pend on your success in imitating the wind. 

NOBILITY 

(Cary — IV — 105.) This is one of the poems that is well 
worth committing. What was the old idea of noble birth? 
Could one be held responsible then for not belonging to 
the nobility? How have our ideals changed? Does the 
change in ideals change the question of responsibility? 
Is it easy to get into the habit of "seeming"? We call 
this "posing." Who is really cheated in such a process? 
What is the authors' idea of the really kingly virtues? — 
Mete. Measure. — How do the first two lines of the fourth 
stanza have a connection with the last two? "Blisses" is 
used in the sense of pleasures or happiness. Do people 
try to buy happiness? How does the author think we 
are to gain happiness? Is it natural to wish to see re- 
sults of efforts? Does the poet think results are always 
a complete measure of worth? How does the last stanza 
bear upon this question? 

NOBLE NATURE, THE 

(Jonson— V— 234.) What do you understand the test 
of nobility of nature is, as presented in this poem? There 
k are two methods of illustrating a point, one consists in 
showing what it is not and the other in showing in a 
positive way what it is. What negative illustrations does 
Jonson use? What positive one? Show how each of 
these is appropriate. — Just is used in the sense of com- 
plete or perfect. 

NO BOY KNOWS 

(Riley — IV — 33.) This poem testifies to the author's 
deep sympathy with child nature. It touches upon the 
mysteries of sleep, and recalls to mind the dim little 
borderland that every child has crossed over and over, 
and that will remain to the end, an unexplored country 

159 



between waking and dreaming. The poet tells of many 
things the boy knows of the world about him. The story 
of the ice and snow and rain, in their ever changing 
rounds is not easy to understand. Hence the poet 
would not have us believe it was on account of stupid- 
ity that "no boy knows when he goes to sleep." In 
the third stanza, there are mentioned a number of subtle 
things a boy may know, a comprehension of time is 
one thing; the various calls of his friends and a sense 
of direction that finds the gates after dark. In the third 
and fourth lines of the third stanza why does the poet 
speak of a "realm divine"? What picture would you 
paint, if you were asked to illustrate these lines? In the 
last stanza there is expressed the author's own psycholo- 
gical experience when a boy. He follows himself clear 
up to the last conscious moment before sleep comes. If 
an artist were to attempt to express this stanza on can- 
vas, what would it likely be? What is the significance 
of "fragrant" in the second line? What is meant by 
"dewy odors"? 

NOLAN'S SPEECH 

(Hale — V — 13.) This brief passage is taken from Dr. 
Hale's "A Man Without a Country." Philip Nolan, smart- 
ing from some sense of real or fancied wrong, ex- 
pressed the wish that he might never hear the name of 
his country mentioned again. He is condemned to the 
fate he wished for in his anger, and after years of bitter 
suffering and when near the end, he speaks the words 
given here, as the lesson it all has taught him. — What 
does he think loyalty to country means? What do you 
think he means by saying we should "never look at 
another flag"? 

NOSE AND EYES 

(Cowper — IV — 184.) Was there in reality any ground 
for a contest between Nose and Eyes? What spirit was 
at the bottom of the dispute? In the trial who was 
lawyer and who was judge? What three arguments did 
Tongue^make? Did they seem legally sound? What 

160 



was the matter with the arguments for Eyes? What was 
the sentence? Was there any justice in these proceed' 
ings? Were the proceedings carried on according to the. 
letter or the spirit of justice? 

O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN! 

(Whitman — 1865 — V — 198.) The splendid analysis 
which follows is quoted (practically complete) from tht 
Spring, 1899, number of "Expression": "In many respects 
this poem of Whitman on the death of Lincoln, is one. 
of the finest of American lyrics. The intensity and 
genuineness of its feeling, the transition from idea to 
idea, the movement of the thought, and the sustain- 
ing of the same imaginative figure and situation, is some- 
thing rarely found . . . The general picture presented 
to us is that of a ship which has come through storm and 
battle, having won the prize for which it sailed. It is 
not necessary to make it too much of an allegorical repre- 
sentation of the ship of state. It is imaginative and sug- 
gestive, and gives a metaphorical realization of the fact 
'We are told,' says Mr. Crothers, 'the news of the assas- 
sination of Lincoln as a man on the street might tell it. 
It comes to us through suggestion. We are made to feel 
a mood, not to listen to the description of an event. 
There is symbolism, suggestion, color, mystery. The 
poem opens with an exultant spirit of triumph at the re- 
sults of the war; and then suddenly, with a change in the 
movement, this whole passion turns to the dead captain 
upon the deck. Then we have a dazed condition, a con- 
flict between facts and feeling, an expression of inability 
to realize what has happened. "I cannot," said Emerson, 
at the death of Garrison, "conceive any end to myself." 
The whole second stanza sustains more or less this at- 
mosphere as far as "This arm beneath your head." Then 
the bewildered "It is some dream," indicates the climax of 
this attitude, toward death. This statement must be 
taken not as a surprise, but as a bewildering shock. The 
conflict, through the whole stanza, is between the head 
that knows and the heart that cannot realize. At the 
beginning of the third stanza is a transition to a deeper 

161 



realization of what has happened. The few facts that 
are mentioned are simply those little moments in which 
the heart comes to realize the situation. A student once 
asked, "Would you not express surprise when you say, 
'My captain does not answer"?- No; to accentuate this 
would spoil the spirit of this poem, one great feature of 
which is the alternation between the head and the heart. 
The head knows that Lincoln is dead; but the heart, the 
instinct and feeling cannot believe what the intellect 
perceives. Whitman, with marvelous insight and genuine 
feeling, has realized this and truthfully portrayed that 
the instinct and belief of the heart cannot feel death as 
real. In the third line is a return to the victorious ex- 
ulation which continues to its climax in "Ring, O bells." 
Then all after the word "but" sinks into intense sorrow 
and realization of the great loss. Note the strong con- 
trasts in the poem, also the vividness of the pictures, and 
yet the consistency of everything with one general im- 
aginative situation. While parts of the poem are dra- 
matic, still on account of this depth of unity and reliza- 
tion of one feeling or one idea, it is a lyric, and a lyric 
of a high order." 

OLD JESSIE'S CHRISTMAS 

(Smith — IV — 107.) Did the teacher have Old Jessie in 
mind when she first spoke of the extra money in the col- 
lection? Why did she not speak of it at once? Was it en- 
tirely for the sake of the horse that Miss Martin proposed 
this plan? Would it have been more in keeping with 
the Christmas spirit to have spent the money on some 
worthy person? What made the horse's condition seem 
so pathetic as she stopped at the. foot of the hill? How 
did the children get possession of the horse? Did the 
peddler's attitude change? What was responsible for it? 
What was the fate of Old Jessie? Why did she deserve 
this treatment? What is our obligation to worn-out 
animals? 
OLD OAKEN BUCKET, THE 

(Woodworth— IV— 139.) For the benefit of those who 
have never seen a well with a sweep describe one as ac- 

162 



curately as possible. Explain "deep-tangled" as applied 
to wild-wood; "iron-bound" and "moss-covered" as ap- 
plied to bucket. Why is water a fit emblem of truth? Ex- 
plain the phrase "poised on the curb." What is meant by a 
"full blushing goblet"? In the line "the brightest that 
beauty or revelry sips," do the words "beauty" and 
"revelry" have the abstract meaning or do they refer to 
people who are beautiful and people who engage in 
revelry? Habitation. Dwelling. — Intrusively. With force? 
without invitation. 

OLD SILVER 

(Ford — V — 281.) "Horses Nine" is one of the best col- 
lections of horse stories ever written and this story of Old 
Silver is one of the most dramatic of the lot. Incidentally 
notice that you are told a great many things about the 
"fire laddies" and what they do. Notice that the story is 
in three parts: (1) The way things were when Old Silver 
was in perfect condition, (2) when the misfortune came 
to his leg, (3) when the Gray Horse Truck passed him, at 
his lowly work, on the way to a fire. Tell clearly the 
story using this analysis for topics. Does the author 
make you feel that Old Silver really had "feelings" on 
the matters told of? Are you glad he got his old place 
back again? Those living in cities will likely understand 
all the technical terms used in the story. In other classes 
there will be someone who has watched the fire wagons 
at some time or other and can furnish what information 
is needed. In nearly every case the context will make 
the strange words clear. 

ON HIS BLINDNESS 

(Milton— V— 38.) Milton became totally blind in 1652, 
when he was 44 years of age, though his eyesight began 
to fail several years before. The first eight lines present 
a condition, how he feels when he thinks of his failure to 
do all he would like to do in the work of life, and some- 
what impatiently asks whether God could reasonably "ex- 
act day-labor" from a blind man. But a higher mood suc- 
ceeds and the voice of Patience points the way to a serene 

163 



acceptance of his unfortunate affliction and enforced in- 
activity. And this serene mood rises to a climax in the 
closing line, one of the most famous in Milton: 
"They also serve who only stand and wait." 
Milton's language is condensed and full of thought, 
and it will be well to expand the first portion of the son- 
net in a paraphrase until you see clearly what he means. 
Read the parable of the talents in the 24th chapter of 
Matthew, beginning with the 14th verse. I fondly ask. I 
foolishly, ask. — Yoke. Burden. What is the standard of 
service as you understand it from this sonnet? 

ONE, TWO, THREE 

(Bunner — II — 164.) This little poem expresses the 
sympathy that exists between the two physically helpless 
people, — the old lady and the little boy. It should awaken 
keen sympathy for both on the part of the reader and 
keen interest in their successful attempt to make their 
own world when shut off from the activity of the world 
about them. Why is "old" repeated so often in line 1? 
(To deepen the impression of age.) How old was the 
boy? What was the bond of sympathy between them? 
Where were they? Describe the game they were playing. 
How is it different from this game as you play it? Why 
did they not play in the usual way? What is meant by 
"warm and warmer?" (Close and closer to the right 
answer.) Notice in stanza 8 the reference to the child's 
mother. Wee. Very small, tiny. The last stanza is a kind 
of summary of the whole. What do you think of the old 
lady? What feeling have you for the little boy? Do you 
wish he could run and jump as you can? Are you 
glad he can be so happy anyway? (The game of guessing 
is so well known over the country as a form -of enter- 
tainment among the young folks that some one in the 
class will be apt to know about it and it can be utilized 
to awaken interest in this story and connect it more 
closely with the pupil's experience.) 
ONLY ONE 

(Cooper— III— 197.) In this beautiful little poem, the 
author prepares a climax by presenting a series of con- 

164 



Irasts. He draws upon nature with her manifold beauty 
to show the multiplicity of forms. Stars, shells, birds, 
bees, dewdrops, lambs and butterflies, all exist in numbers. 
Yet there is, in spite of this prodigality of nature, but one 
mother the wide world over. The directness of the poem 
makes it easily understood by the child. 

ON THE GRASSHOPPER AND THE CRICKET 

(Keats— i3i6—V— 77.) This sonnet was written at 
Leigh Hunt's cottage on the 30th of December, 1816. "C, 
Cowden Clarke enlightens us as to the origin of this 
sonnet. On one occasion when Leigh Hunt, Clarke and 
Keats were together, the conversation turned upon the 
grasshopper, and Hunt proposed to Keats that each 
should write a sonnet on the subject then and there. 
Keats Von as to time,' but it may be fairly questioned 
whether Hunt's sonnet is not the better of the two." 
(Pancoast.) Observe that the first line states the real 
theme, which is illustrated by references to the two in- 
sects named. — A sonnet has fourteen lines falling into two 
groups, one of eight, lines called an octet and one of six 
lines called a sestet. Notice that each group in this son- 
net begins with a line expressing the theme. The octet 
contrasts the grasshopper's ceaseless utterance of delights 
with the weariness of the birds in summer, while the sestet 
deals with the cricket's song in winter, which sounds 
enough like the grasshopper's to carry the drowsy listener 
in imagination back to the "grassy hills." 

OPPORTUNITY 

(Sill — V — 62.) What did the poet behold, or see in a 
vision? How did the battle seem to be going, for or 
against the prince? How can you tell? Why did the 
craven break his sword and leave the field? What did 
the prince do? Contrast his action with the craven's. 
What is the truth in regard to opportunity that the poem 
sets forth? Is it the fine weapon and favorable situation 
that count for most? Or, is it rather something in the 
spirit of the fighter, who is willing to use any weapon at 
hand? — Lowering. Scowling, or looking sullen. Be care- 

165 



ful about the pronunciation of this word. — Sore bestead. 

Badly situated. — A blue blade means one that is very finely 

tempered. 

O'REILLY, JOHN BOYLE 

Born at Dowth Castle, Ireland, June 28, 1844. Convicted 
of high treason in 1866 as an agent of the Fenian Society 
and after serving one year of a twenty year's sentence in 
Australia he escaped and came to the United States in 
1869. He was connected with the "Boston Pilot" from 
1870 to the time of his death, August 10, 1890. Is best 
known by his poetry. 

Selections: V, 84, 292. 
ORPHEUS AND HIS LUTE 

(Shakespeare — V — 178.) This splendid lyric, having the 
power of music as its theme, is found in Henry VIII, 
Act III, Scene 1. Orpheus, according to the old myth, 
was a famous musician of Thrace. Apollo presented him 
with the lyre and the muses taught him its uses so that 
he enchanted with his music not only the wild beasts, but 
trees and rocks so that they moved from their places to 
follow the sound of his golden harp. — What effects does 
Shakespeare say Orpheus produced with his lute? What 
does this show about music? What conclusion in the 
last two lines as to the effect on care and grief? (The 
song is sung in the play to Queen Katherine by one of 
her attendants at a time when she is bowed down in dis- 
tress.) — As sun. As (if) sun. — Lay by. Lay down, or 
fell asleep. — Killing is an adjective. 

OUR FLAG 

(Anon.— II— 118.) What is the English flag like? What 
the German? How many stars and how many stripes in 
the American flag? Hue, color. — Why should we love our 
flag and cheer for it? Why do we call it our country's 
flag? 

OUR NATIONAL BANNER 

(Everett— V— 311.) An apostrophe to the flag. Such 
a figure involves the idea of direct address, and grows out 
of a feeling so strong that it in a measure personifies the 

166 



object. What are the hopes expressed regarding the flag? 
Compare with other patriotic selections in the reader. 
Which one seems to you best to express what the flag 
stand for? — Intented. Covered with tents. 

OUR NATION'S CROWN 

(Harrison — V — 309.) What are the points in which our 
nation is great? What is the condition on which we take 
these gifts? What considerations lead the speaker to 
have faith in the future? Is the census a sure test of the 
comparative honor that should be given to the states? 
Why not? — Placed... a diadem. Given us the leadership. 

OUT-DOOR PUSSIES, THE 

(Anon. — II — 153.) Do real pussies like water on them? 
Do the pussy willows? Where do pussies go when it rains? 
Where do pussy willows live? Can they leave the tree as 
the pussy leaves the barn and then go back to it at night? 
Commit this poem, and in so doing bring out the swaying 
rhythm in it. 

OWL, THE 

(Tennyson — IV — 174.) Here is a poem in which the 
sound and imagery exactly balance the thought. The owl 
is a gruesome subject. It has been considered a bird of 
ill-omen and its ways the ways of mystery. Even its 
note has an uncanny ring to it. Tennyson makes a fitting 
background for such a theme by a description of the 
early dawn. "When cats run home and light is come, 
And dew is cold upon the ground," gives a cheerless set- 
ting to the picture. The repetition of the fourth line, which 
refers to the wind mill, gives further accent to the in- 
harmonious atmosphere. The last two lines are the es- 
sence of the picture. This clearly defined image against 
the foregoing background is a masterpiece. The expres- 
sion "warming his five wits" likely means meditating. It 
is probable he has been abroad in search of prey and since 
he depends upon stealth and keen senses, the expression 
"warming his five wits," may mean renewing his energies. 
The second stanza is a trifle lighter in tone. The picture 

167 



of the merry milk maids and the suggestion of the new- 
mown hay bring the imagination a little farther from 
the gloom of the early dawn. But the sounds of the click 
of the gate and the cock's roundelay are still in keeping 
with the picture of the belfry. Why has the owl been 
considered the symbol of wisdom? Read this poem aloud 
several times, and try to catch the harmony in its discords. 

PAGE, THOMAS NELSON 

Born at Oakland, Va., April 23, 1853; studied law and 
engaged in its practice at Richmond, Va. At present he 
lives in Washington. His first story of prominence, 
"Marse Chan,'"' appeared in the Century in 1884. His 
published books include "In Ole Virginia," "Two Little 
Confederates," "Red Rock," "Santa Claus's Partner," and 
"Gordon Keith." 

Selections: III, 94; IV, 5. 

PANDORA 

(Anon. — II— 25.) What do we call that quality in Pan- 
dora that made her wish to see what was in the box? 
Did her brother wish to see in the box? How did he 
make it easy for himself to let the box alone? How did 
Pandora make it hard for herself? Did the bees and 
wasps sting Pandora alone? Did it seem fair? What 
else was in the box? Is it fitting that Hope should be 
beautiful? 

PARKMAN, FRANCIS 

Born in Boston, Mass., September 16, 1823, graduated 
at Harvard, studied law, but soon gave it up and began 
work upon the story of the French in America, which 
made his life work. The succession of volumes which he 
lived to complete, when taken together, form a complete 
account of this important factor in our history. Parkman 
visited nearly all of the places described in his historical 
works and is thus able to present his scenes much more 
clearly than one who must depend upon maps and the 
imagination. Died at Jamaica Plains, a suburb of Boston, 

168 



November 8, 1893. His works are published by Little, 
Brown & Co., Boston, Mass. 
Selection: V, 308. 

PAST, THE 

(Timrod — V — 233.) What truth about the meaning of 
deeds is stated in stanza 1? What application does he 
make of this principle in regard to our attitude toward 
the Past? What are the images, or illustrations, by which, 
in stanzas 3, 4 and 5, he illustrates the significance of the 
Past? What modification does the last stanza make in 
regard to the statement about Grief? Which impresses 
you most about this poem the seriousness of the thought, 
or the beauty of the imagery and the music of the lan- 
guage? 

PAUL REVERE'S RIDE 

(Curtis — V — 270.) Fix clearly in mind all the facts 
that led to the ride. What importance does the speaker 
find in the fact that the belfry of the old North Church 
still stands? Notice the fine description of the early 
morning ride, with signs of'the sunrise visible. How easy 
would it have been to stop the news? What comparison 
is worked out in the last paragraph? — Son of Liberty. A 
patriotic association to forward the cause of the colonies 
was called the Sons of Liberty. — "One if by land, etc." A 
line from Longfellow's "Ride of Paul Revere." "How Far, 
etc." A line from "The Merchant of Venice." — Pharos. 
A celebrated lighthouse opposite Alexandria, one of the 
seven wonders of the world. Explain the use of the word 
by Curtis. — Pan. The great god of paganism. The legend 
runs to the effect that at the moment Christ was born 
Pan died, and his followers wailed his loss as the Angels 
rejoiced at the coming of Christ. 

PEABODY, JOSEPHINE PRESTON 

Born in New York, educated at Radcliffe. Married Pro- 
fessor L. S. Marks. Among her writings are "Old Greek 
Folk Stories," "Marlowe, a Drama," and "The Singing 
Leaves." 

Selection: V, I. 

169 



PEACOCK, THOMAS LOVE 

Born at Weymouth, England, October 18, 1785. Most 
of his life was spent in the service of the East India Com- 
pany. His novels are satirical in nature, genial in tone 
and elegant in style. Many charming ballads are scattered 
through his books. Some of the more importat titles are 
''Headlong Hall," "Crotchet Castle" and "Gryll Grange." 
He died at Halliford, January 23, 1866. 

Selection: IV, 23. 

PEARY, JOSEPHINE D. 

Wife of Commander Peary of Arctic fame. Author of 
"Children of the Arctic" and "The Snow Baby." 
Selection: III, 68. 

PELTIER, FLORENCE 

Author of a juvenile book entitled "A Japanese Gar- 
land," published by Lothrop, Lee & Shephard Co., Boston. 
Selection: III, 188. 

PERFECT TRIBUTE, THE 

(Andrews — V — 347.) This story is the best attempt yet 
made to treat Abraham Lincoln from an imaginative 
point of view. Around what event does it center? Study 
carefully the speech made by Lincoln at Gettysburg. 
Note the explanations given of its greatness by the 
wounded soldier. Do these all seem to you to be justifi- 
able? Describe the occasion of the delivery of the speech. 
Why was Lincoln so disappointed? What made him 
change his mind about the matter? How did he happen 
to go to the hospital? Tell what took place there? Why 
did Lincoln conceal his identity? — This selection is full 
of fine figurative expressions. Select and read some of 
the most beautiful. — In beginning your study read the 
story straight through in order to get the full force of 
the narrative. The ability to tell a story as dramatically 
and with as little waste of material, is not common and 
these qualities should be clearly realized. 

170 



PERRY, FRANCES M. 

An instructor in English in Wellesley College. She is 
the author of helpful text-books in English, such as "An 
Introductory Course in Exposition" and "A Handbook of 
Punctuation." She has also written "The Story of Daniel 
Boone," an interesting book for juveniles. Miss Perry was 
born in Indiana. 

Selection: IV, 212. 

PHAETHON 

(Peabody — V — 1.) This selection is taken from "Old 
Greek Folk Stories," No. 114 of the Riverside Literature 
Series. The myths of Greece and Rome form the most 
important body of such material in the world, and the 
more important of them should be familiar to the child 
from his early years. We know the scientific causes for 
most of the facts of the natural world, but it is not hard to 
realize that in more primitive times people would invent 
stories to account for everything that they could not un- 
derstand. Why it should get so hot in one portion of the 
year was a mystery, but here is the way they explained the 
mastery. 

Notice that the first paragraph states what all the rest 
elaborates. What led to this disastrous happening? How 
did Phaethon test his parentage? Describe what Phaethon 
saw at his father's palace? What promise did Phoebus 
make? Why could be not back out when Phaethon asked 
what he did? Describe the journey. What unusual things 
took place? How was complete disaster averted? How 
did the gods show their pity for the mourners? — The 
identity of the proper names and their relations to each 
other are given in the context. — Signs of the Zodiac. The 
zodiac is a belt of twelve constellations along either side 
of the ecliptic. The sun, moon and planets known to the 
ancients were always found in this belt. For names and 
signs see the front pages of an almanac. — Styx. A mighty 
river of the lower world, across which the souls of the 
dead were taken on their journey to Hades. The gods 
swore by this river and such an oath had peculiar solem- 

171 



nity. — Ambrosia. Name of the food both of the gods and 
of their horses. It conferred immortality. — Philter. Used 
here to mean a kind of salve or ointment. — Serpent. The 
name of a constellation in the northern hemisphere. — 
Nymphs. The general name for the inhabiting deities of 
places and natural objects. Usually applied in a specific 
way to water spirits. The dryads were the forest and 
tree nymphs, 

PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN, THE 

(Browning— II — 30.) It may be of interest to the child 
to know that this poem was written originally to enter- 
tain a little sick child, son of the famous actor, Macready. 
Pied, mottled with various colors. — Read the description 
of the Piper in the first stanza of poetry, and tell why he 
was called the Pied Piper? What did the Mayor promise 
the Pied Piper if he would free the town from rats? 
Guilder, about forty cents. — Name the different kinds of 
rats that followed the Piper. Brawny, strong. — Tawny, 
brownish yellow. — What method did he take to get rid 
of the rats? Did the Mayor keep his agreement? What 
method of revenge did the Piper take? What became of 
the children? How did the people of Hamelin know what 
happened to the children? What did the little lame boy 
say about the music? What kind of a land did he say 
the Piper lead them to? This poem is sufficiently dra- 
matized so that the children can act it. No more certain 
method of getting definite and lasting impressions can be 
employed than this. 

PIERSON, CLARA DILLINGHAM 

Author of a book for children called "Among the Meadow 
People," published by E. P. Dutton & Co., New York 
City. 

Selection: II, 45. 

PIG BROTHER, THE 

((Richards — II — 86.) Is it easy for a child to get into 
untidy habits? Is it hard to break such habits? Pinafore, 
a sleeveless apron. — Nursery, a play room for children. — 

172 



What do you think the Tidy Angel found to do in the 
nursery? Is the squirrel a careful animal as to its habits? 
Whisking, moving with a light sweeping movement. — Is 
the wren a tidy being? Impertinence, impudence. — How 
did the wren prove the child no brother of his? Why do 
you think the wren ruffled his feathers? Haughtily, with 
pride. — How does a cat wash itself? How did Tommy 
Cat prove that the untidy child was no brother of his? 
How did the child feel when the pig called him "brother"? 
What did the pig ask him to do? How did the pig prove 
the child to be his brother? What did he mean when he 
told the child "to tell it to the hens"? Pig-wash, slop or 
swill.— Do you think the child was pleased with the 
promise of swill for his supper? What was there in the 
pig's promise that was just like a pig? What choice did 
the tidy angel give the child? What did he take? * What 
comfort did the pig get out of it? 
PILPAY 

Sometimes written Bidpai. The reputed author of a 
collection of fables, the oldest version of which is from the 
Arabic. Modern scholarship, however, has been able to 
trace these fables to earlier sources. They are full of a 
shrewd, practical wisdom in spite of their extreme sim- 
plicity. A version of one of these fables is given in the 
second reader, page 22. 

PINE-TREE SHILLINGS, THE 

(Hawthorne — IV — 122.) This selection is chapter VI of 
Part I of "Grandfather's Chair," omitting the connecting 
passages. George Parsons Lathrop in closing his intro- 
duction to this collection in the Riverside edition says: 
" 'The Pine-Tree Shillings,' by the universal currency 
which they have enjoyed in school-readers and elsewhere, 
ought effectually to dispel the frequently expressed opinion 
that Hawthorne failed to attain general popularity." 
Hawthorne says in his preface: " Nothing in the ensu- 
ing pages can be termed fictitious. The author, it is true, 
has sometimes assumed the license of filling up the out- 
line of history with details for which he has none but 

173 



imaginative authority, but which, he hopes, do not violate 
nor give a false coloring to the truth." — Grandfather's 
Chair. A famous old chair brought over from England 
by an early settler. The account of its fortunes as it 
passed from owner to owner forms the uniting thread 
in the stories. — The pupil should catch the spirit of hu- 
mor that pervades the selection. In telling the story in 
his own words or in reading it orally the teacher should 
see, if possible, that the pupil does not miss this fine 
quality which makes Hawthorne's stories for children such 
capital ones. Tell the story of the selection under these 
two heads: I. The Money System of the Colonies; 2. 
The Surprise of the Wedding-gift. Many of the quaint 
old customs of Puritan life, and of life generally in the 
colonies, are touched upon in the story and if the teacher 
has additional material at hand may be enlarged upon to 
good advantage in talking the story over with the pupils. 
A reading of something like Chapter X of Lodge's "Eng- 
lish Colonies in America" would be helpful. — Wampum. 
Beads made of shells and used for money. — Quintal. A 
hundred-weight. — Buccaneer. A term applied especially 
to those who made depredations en the Spanish in Amer- 
ica during the 17th and 18th centuries. — Smallclothes. 
Knee breeches. 

PLANT A TREE 

(Larcom — V — 156.) There is a two-fold meaning to be 
followed in this poem, a literal and a figurative. It is quite 
evident that the poet means to encourage the actual plant- 
ing of trees for the very love of them and for what they 
give of beauty and comfort to living things. But with 
each benefit to be derived from the planting of a tree, 
there is a subtle spiritual truth implied that has a more 
general bearing on life. In the first stanza, the joy of 
growing things is expressed, and with it the joy of ex- 
panding life and the spirit's mighty reaches into infinity. 
What is the bearing of the lines "From the clods of time 
unto heaven's sublime" upon the foregoing interpretation? 
In the second stanza give both the literal and the figura- 

174 



tive interpretation. Cloy, grow stale. — In the third stanza 
the physical and spiritual results of contact with Nature 
are given. Jargons, foolish gabble. — Physical relaxation 
and renewal of energy come to the creature that goes to 
Nature for its remedies. In the same manner, the spirit 
expands and the inner wisdom is reinforced by an intimate 
communion with the source of all things. In the fourth 
stanza how does the poet make the tree responsible for 
physical youth? What is there in the tree's processes that 
suggest immortality? How does the last stanza seem a 
sort of climax to the poem? What is there in the actual 
uses of a tree to suggest love? Is it a personal or an 
impersonal love? What line in the stanza justifies your 
answer? What does the poet say the reward of planting 
shall be? Is this true of life in a spiritual sense? 

POLLY FLINDER'S APRON 

(Bingham — III — I.) Are the things we think about 
very earnestly when we are awake apt to return to us in 
our dreams? Is it quite natural that Mr. Cotton-stalk 
should find Polly? Is it surprising he should know she 
wanted an apron? What did Mr. Cotton-stalk mean by 
the seeds to be planted for other aprons? When Polly 
had her cotton picked, where did she have to go? Stile, 
steps for crossing a fence. — Read the verse of poetry, 
bearing in mind the buzz and whirr of wheels. What was 
it that made Polly waken up? How did her dream come 
true ? 

POLLY'S PRANKS 

(Miller — III — 28.) A cockatoo is a parrot with a crest 
that can be made to stand up. Cockatoos are very power- 
ful in beak and claw and sometimes quite mischievous. 
What faults did the Polly in the story have? As a result 
of these what was the sentence passed on her? Give as 
detailed an account as you can of the ruin Polly wrought 
with the work-basket. What was it that made her so 
happy? 

POT OF GOLD, THE 

(Anon. — II — 1.) The name Iris means rainbow. Iris 

175 



was supposed to be the messenger of the Gods. Why did 
Iris feel sad when she found the pot of gold had been 
stolen? Why were the wind's messengers good persons to 
send to jook for the pot of gold? Why do you think they 
went to the sea to look for it? Why to the forest? Do 
ihe trees ever make a sleepy noise? When? How is the 
poplar tree different from most trees? 

POTTER, BEATRIX 

Author and illustrator of a remarkably attractive and 
popular series of little books for children. Some of the 
titles are "The Story of Peter Rabbit," "The Tale of Tom 
Kitten," "The Tale of Jemima Paddle-Duck," "Ginger and 
Pickles" and "Flopsy Bunnies." 

Selection: II, 102. 

PRATT, MARA L. 

A writer who has done much in the way of telling his- 
tory in a form suitable for children or in adapting legend- 
ary and other material for supplementary reading use. A 
number of books by her are published by The Educational 
Publishing Co., Boston. 

Selection: II, 146. 

PRATT, ANNA M. 

Selection: III, 150. 

PRECOCIOUS PIGGY 

(Wood — II — 84.) The selection has no deep meaning, 
but is valuable largely as a jingle. "Precocious" means 
developed ahead of its years or unnaturally. Pigs are not 
said to be gifted with any great degree of intelligence; 
hence the occasion for considering the feats of Piggy pre- 
cocious. Oral reading will bring out the peculiar irregu- 
lar jingle. A sprightly manner of reading should be in- 
sisted upon, otherwise the spirit of the poem will be lost. 

PRICE, LILLIAN 

A writer of modern juvenile books, among which is 
"Lads and Lassies of Other Days," from which "Letitia 

176 



and the Redcoats" is taken. This is published by Silver, 
Burdett & Company, Boston. 
Selection: IV, 132. 

PRINCE AND HIS HORSE, THE 

(Anon.— II— 67.) The King in the lesson was King 
Phillip of Macedonia and the Prince was his son Alexan- 
der the Great The name Bucephalus means ox-headed 
and characterized a certain favorite breed of horses in 
Thessaly. This horse played an important role in his- 
tory, there being a town Bucephalia in India near the 
burial place of the horse, who died during Alexander's In- 
dian invasion. Do you think whipping horses can make 
them gentle? What was in the mind of Alexander when 
he asked permission to manage the horse? What was his 
promise if he failed? Why did he turn the horse's head 
to the sun? Why did he let the horse run as fast as he 
wanted to at first? What was the result of his treatment 
of the horse? 

PRINCESS AND THE PEA, THE 

(Andersen— III— 32.) Name some of the qualities that 
you think a real princess would possess? Do you think 
these were the ones the prince looked for? Was it for- 
tunate or unfortunate that the princess came in the rain? 
What test did the old queen put to the princess? Does 
such delicacy seem a virtue? Could it mean something 
other than physical sensitiveness? Did the pea play a 
sufficiently important part to be put in a museum? 

PSALM OF LIFE, A 

(Longfellow— 1838— V— 39-) This poem was written 
Tuly 26, 1838, on the back of a note of invitation and was 
published in the "Knickerbocker Magazine" of October, 
same year. It immediately attracted attention and gained 
popularity. "Here," says Samuel Longfellow in the "Life," 
"was a new strain in American poetry. It has perhaps 
grown too familiar for us to read it as it was read. But 
if the ideas have become commonplace, it has been well 
said that it is this poem that has made them so. Those 

177 



who remember its first appearance know what wonderful 
freshness it had. It was copied far and wide. Young 
men read it with delight; their hearts were stirred by it 
as by a bugle summons. It roused them to high resolve, 
and wakened them to a new sense of the meaning and 
worth of life." 

Let us begin by asking what significance there is in 
the title and its sub-title— "A Psalm of Life: What the 
heart of the young man said to the psalmist." The word 
psalm refers specifically to a hymn or song for use in holy 
worship and consequently distinguished by exaltation of 
sentiment and mood. This exaltation we expect to find in 
the poet's view of life. We have the poet's own word for 
it that the word psalmist in the sub-title does not refer to 
either David or Solomon as some have supposed, but to 
the author himself. We are to think of the poem then 
as expressing the mood of the higher nature as it rises 
triumphant over the gloomy suggestions of the lower. It 
is the clear bugle-blast of strength, the call to duty, the 
cali to leave behind the darkness of despondency and 
turn the face toward the light of hope and strenuous en- 
deavor. In a letter, Longfellow speaks of it as a "voice 
from my inmost heart at a time when I was rallying from 
depression." This general purpose of the poem is still 
further suggested by the lines from Crashaw, prefixed to 
the first draft but dropped from later editions: 

Life that shall send 

A challenge to the end, 

And when it comes say, Welcome, friend. 
What are the gloomy thoughts which have brought the 
mind to a standstill? That "life is but an empty dream, 
(stanza i); that it. lacks reality (st. i); that "all are of 
dust, and all turn to dust again" (st. 2); in short, that life 
has no validity and is not worth the living. What are 
the propositions and exhortations made by the "heart of 
the young man" to offset these gloomy thoughts? Since 
the poem is largely didactic and hortative in its character 
it does not have the picturesque or story element enter- 
ing in to such an extent as in some of the other poems 

178 



studied. The truths stated and the calls to action given 
are such as the young man would naturally give in vin- 
dicating his own position and inciting others to catch 
step with him. The following may suffice for a brief 
summary: I. Life is not mere emptiness (st. i), but 
earnest reality (st. 2). 2. Life does not end at the grave 
(st. 2). 3. The true purpose of life is growth through 
action (st. 3). 4. Brevity of time as contrasted with 
length of time necessary to accomplish any great work 
[art] (st. 4). 5. Exhortation to heroic action (st. 5). 6. 
Exhortation to action in the present (st. 6). 7. The in- 
spiration of great men to noble action (st. 7), and the pos- 
sibility that we in turn may help others (st. 8). 8. Final 
exhortation to labor (st. 9). Simpler statements may pos- 
sibly present themselves for some of these points. Sim- 
plicity of analysis should always be aimed at. 

How does the speaker arrive at the first thought or 
principle stated above? This is generally the hardest 
point in the poem for the pupil to see. The following is 
quoted as a clear statement of it: "The thought of the 
first stanza is: Do not say, Life is a dream, for a dream 
occurs in sleep, and the sleep of the soul is death, in 
which there are no dreams. Then, again, in a dream 
things are not; hence life, which is a real thing, is not a 
dream." What is meant by the word "numbers"? Poetry, 
since verses in poetry are divided into feet, a certain 
number of these making a line. Cf. Pope's line: 

I lisped in numbers, for the numbers came. 
Does the dictionary give this use of "numbers?" Why 
"mournful numbers?" Why "empty dream?" Give an 
equivalent expression for the second line of stanza 2? 
What biblical reference in stanza 2? See Ecclesiastes 
III, 20. Of what was the third line of stanza 2 spoken? 
What two theories of the end of life are rejected in stanza 
3? Note how these ideas find expression in the passages: 

a. Take thine ease, eat, drink and be merry. — Luke. 
XII. 19. 

b, This world's a wilderness of woe. — Favorite Song. 

179 



(Is the song quoted from a good one to instill the 
right spirit into the pupil?) 

In what sense is "Art" used in stanza 4? See "In- 
ternational Dictionary," and fourth point in analysis above. 
Does "hearts" refer to the soul or to the heart in the 
body? If the former does stanza 4 contradict stanza 2? 
Connection between "muffled drums" and "funeral 
marches?" The drums are deadened or muffled on occa- 
sion of a military funeral. To what is life compared in 
stanza 5? What two phases does this warfare take on? 
Work on the battle-field and in the bivouac. What two 
phases of the work of life are referred to here? What 
two attitudes are possible for the soldier? See lines three 
and four of stanza 5. Compare stanza 6 with the fol- 
lowing inscription form "Hyperion": 

"Look not mournfully into the past. It comes not back 
again. Wisely improve the present. It is thine. Go forth 
to meet the shadowy future, without fear and with a 
manly heart." 

Explain the meaning of line two, stanza 6. Note the 
biblical origin of the expression, Matthew VIII. 23. What 
is gained by repetition of "act" in line three? What are 
the two conditions of successful action? What is the com- 
parison suggested in the "footprints on the sands of 
time?" Just as on the seashore footprints are quickly 
effaced by the waves, so time soon blots out the memory 
of ordinary deeds. Only by means of heroic action can 
any one hope to leave permanent foot-prints. Does this 
fact discourage us or nerve us to greater efforts? To 
what is life compared in stanza 8? Why the word "solemn" 
in line^two? Is action easier when the reward is attrac- 
tive and in sight or where it is hidden and we must 
"wait?" In what does the strength of this poem lie? It 
stirs us to action under the second set of conditions. The 
ideas of the poem, or kindred ideas, find expression in 
many of Longfellow's later productions. Profitable com- 
parison may be made with "The Light of Stars." How 
do you explain the great popularity of this poem? 

180 



PUSSY WILLOW'S HOOD 

(Pratt — II — 146.) Why had Pussy Willow been shut 
up all winter in her home by the brook? Do you know 
what sort of house she lived in? Why were the flowers 
not up when Pussy Willow came out of her house? What 
was the fur hood like, that she had on? Was she wise 
to listen to Mother Nature? How would Mother Nature 
let her know when it was time to take her hood off? 
What did the robin tell to his friends about Pussy Wil- 
low? What do we call people who engage in idle talk 
about others? Was Pussy Willow wise in the way she 
treated the gossips? What was under her hood? How 
do you think the robin felt? 

PYLE, HOWARD 

An American illustrator and author, born in Wilming- 
ton, Del., in 1853. He studied art in Philadelphia after 
which he practiced his profession in New York. He is 
one of the leading illustrators of America, his best sub- 
jects being taken from the colonial periods of New Eng- 
land and New Amsterdam. His works are: "Merry Ad- 
ventures of Robin Hood," "Pepper and Salt," "The Rose 
of Paradise," "A Modern Aladdin," "Twilight Land," and 
the "Garden Behind the Moon." 

Selection: IV, 166. 

QUIET WORK 

(Arnold — V — 321.) The poet turns to nature for a les- 
son with regard to two duties which he says the world 
considers at war with each other. This is the question of 
the inconsistency of work and tranquility and is involved 
in the title of the poem "Quiet Work." Arnold sought 
after the Greek ideal of tranquility and found its counter- 
part in nature's ways. The long quiet process of nature 
appealed to his sense of harmony. In the last line of the 
second stanza he dignifies the purposes of nature in con- 
trast to the ways of man. Is his characterization of man's 
work in the third stanza true or not to our modern life? 
Where is the fault in our thinking? 

181 



RACE, THE 

(Dodge — IV — 256.) The selection is taken from "Hans 
Brinker, or the Silver Skates." What is the first feature 
in the selection, which emphasizes the fact that the scene 
is laid in Holland? Follow this up with the other inci- 
dents and facts that are distinctively Dutch. Describe the 
plan and rules of the race. What is peculiar in the 
Dutch costume? Tell the incident of Hans and the skate- 
strap. What is the most effective picture in the selection? 
Mercury, the winged messenger of the Gods. Is the final 
picture of the presentation of prizes a fitting climax? 

RAGGYLUG 

(Seton — II — 3.) Where do rabbits build their homes? 
Why did Molly Cottontail tell Raggylug to "lie low" 
while she was away? What happened when he forgot to 
mind? Did Molly Cottontail know about snakes being 
in the grass? How do rabbits fight? What lesson did 
Raggylug get out of this experience? 

RARE SEPTEMBER 

(Anon. — IV — 255.) In what sense is September "radi- 
ant"? What odors can you recall as being characteristic 
of the month? What is the force of the word "tingle" in 
the third line of first stanza? What is it that gives the 
hill slope a "glimmering line" in September? Explain how 
"summer's a step behind and autumn's a thought before." 
Why does the poet attach the idea of fleetness to the 
September day? In what sense does he speak of it as an 
"angel at the door"? 

RECESSIONAL, THE 

(Kipling — V — 365.) "The Recessional" was published 
in the "London Times" at the close of the Diamond Jubi- 
lee of Victoria's reign, in 1897. In the midst of the 
elaborate celebrations in honor of worldly power, the 
poem comes as a protest and as a plea for humility of 
spirit. It has already firmly established itself as a classic. 
The title refers to the hymn in the English Church service 
which is sung as the clergy and choir are leaving the 

■0 _ 182 



church. — Palm and pine. Palms of the tropics, pines of 
northern lands; the two symbolize the wide extent of 
England's empire. This suggests, also, the meaning of 
far-flung in line two. — Dies. There has been much dis- 
cussion of the grammar of this line. Is the subject sing- 
ular or plural? — Captains. Great generals. — Dune. A hill 
of sand. — Nineveh and Tyre. Ancient cities in Asia Minor; 
capitals of extended kingdoms-, and therefore types of 
worldly pomp and power. — Gentiles. Those outside the 
chosen people. Kipling patriotically thinks of the Eng- 
lish as the chosen race. — Reeking tube and iron shard. 
"Tube" probably refers to the barrel of a cannon, while 
"shard," literally meaning a fragment of any hard ma- 
terial, refers to the armor of a battleship. 

(i) To whom is the hymn addressed? Why? (2) What 
contrast is indicated in the second stanza? (3) Explain 
lines 7 and 8. (4) What is the thought expressed in 
stanza 3? (5) Consider carefully the meaning of lines 
13 and 14. (6) Against what possible national characteris- 
tic is a warning directed in lines 19-22? (7) What is the 
appeal of the final stanza? (8) Explain particularly lines 
27 and 28. (9) What is the effect of the refrain? (10) Do 
you think the high place accorded to this poem is justified? 
Why? (From Curry's "Literary Readings"; Rand, Mc- 
Nally & Co., Chicago.) 

REST 

(Goethe — V — 197.) Commit this poem to memory, 
more for its splendid truth than for its poetic beauty. 
What is the average person's idea of rest? Instead of be- 
lieving in the absolute cessation of activity for rest, the 
poet accepts a bigger vision. It is the theory of finding 
in adjustment, the relaxation and repose that is the true 
rest. According to this idea, how can one find rest in a 
change of occupation more often than in absolute idleness? 
Explain the figure of the second stanza in the light of the 
author's position. Is true rest a matter of body or spirit 
finnlly? Is there any answer to the foregoing question 
in the last stanza? 

183 



RICHARDS, LAURA ELIZABETH 

Born in Boston, Mass., in 1850. She was the daughter 
of Samuel G. and Julia Ward Howe. In 1871 she married 
Henry Richards. There is a long list of juvenile books 
to her credit among which are: "Sketches and Scraps," 
"Five Mice," "Captain January," "Hil'degarde's Home," 
"Melody," "When I was your Age," "Glimpses of the 
French Court," "Snow White," "The Golden Willows," 
"The Merryweathers," "Mrs. Trees Will," etc. 

Selection: IT, 86. 

RILEY, JAMES WHITCOMB 

Born at Greenfield, Indiana, 1853; of roving disposition 
in early life, becoming member of a company of singers 
and actors whose business it was to advertise patent 
medicine. Here he had an opportunity for practice in 
composing songs. Later he was on the staff of the "In- 
dianapolis Journal" and soon became very popular as a 
reciter of original Hoosier dialect verses. "The Old 
Swimmin' Hole and 'Leven more Poems," by "Benjamin 
F. Johnson, of Boone," brought him into immediate and 
popular notice. Riley's works are published by the Bobbs- 
Merrill Company of Indianapolis, with the exception of 
"Poems here at Home," and "The Rubaiyat of Doc Sifers" 
which are issued by the Century Company. "Old Fash- 
ioned Roses," a collection from his various works, is 
published by Longmans, Green & Company, of London. 

Selections: II, 167; IV, 33; V, 78, 97. 

RIP VAN WINKLE 

(Irving — 1819 — V — 330.) This selection was published 
in 1819 in the first section of the "Sketch Book" which 
was issued. It immediately sprang into popular favor and 
at the present day shares with "The Legend of Sleepy 
Hollow" the honor of being counted its author's greatest 
production. It purports to have been written by Diedrich 
Knickerbocker, "an old gentleman of New York, who 
was very curious in the Dutch history of the province, 
and the manners of the descendants from its primitive 

184 



settlers." It has as a motto the following passage from 
Canwright which is interesting because of its suggestion 
of humorous seriousness which is to pervade the entire 
piece:— 

"By Woden, God of Saxons, 

From whence comes Wensday, that is Wodensday, 
Truth is a thing that ever I will keep 
Unto thylke day in which I creep into 
My sepulchre." 
The idea in Rip Van Winkle is not a new one, the same 
theme being found in "The Story of the Sleeping Beauty 
in the Wood" and in the legend of the Seven Sleepers of 
Ephesus. Irving no doubt took the adventure of one 
Peter Klaus in the Harz Mountains of Germany, who had 
a somewhat similar adventure, as the basis for his story. 
He has used a number of means to impress upon the mind 
of the reader the historical accuracy of the whole thing, 
the most noticeable of these being the introductory note 
and the concluding nore and postscript, which are repre- 
sented as coming from Deidrich himself. If possible the 
teacher should consult a \ersion of Rip Van Winkle 
which does not have these portions eliminated. "The 
story appeals very directly to the common sentiment of 
curiosity as to the future, which is not far removed from 
what some have regarded as an instinct of the human 
mind pointing to personal immortality." — What facts are 
brought out about the Kaatskill Mountains in the opening 
paragraph? Why are they called "fairy mountains?" 
(The suggestion in the word "fairy" prepares the mind of 
the reader to entertain the marvelous story which is to 
follow.) Describe the village at the foot of the mountain. 
What one family does the author speak of in detail? 
Give an account of Rip's nature. What seemed to be the 
principal error in his composition? In what way did this 
error manifest itself? Why did he not work his farm? 
What words would you use to indicate Rip's disposition? 
Tell what you learn about his wife. What effect did she 
have upon Rip? How did he try to escape her? Did his 
efforts succeed? "What finally was he driven to do in 

185 



order to get away from her? Give an account of his 
whole adventure in the mountains. What were his first 
thoughts upon awaking? What did he do? Why did he 
feel some hesitation about going back to the village? 
Explain what happened on his return trip. Follow care- 
fully the happenings after he reached the village. What 
had taken place during Rip's absence? Was he able to 
get this through his head? Tell about Rip's after life. 
Are there any who ever have a desire to emulate Rip? — 
Point out the most humorous things in the story. Do 
you find anything pathetic about Rip's career? Which 
do you sympathize with, Rip or his wife? Select some 
of the most striking passages in the selection. The 
reader should be impressed with the remarkable 
ease and beauty of Irving's diction. — At the close 
of the Christmas stories Irving said that he wrote, not 
to give information but either "to rub out wrinkles 
from the brow of care" or "to prompt a more benevolent 
view of human nature." Which one of these purposes do 
you think is mainly served by "Rip Van Winkle"? Is it 
as important to have selections which rub out wrinkles 
from the brow of care as to have selections which give 
new information or teach moral lessons? 

(About one-third of the story, mainly the part dealing 
with Rip's family and domestic troubles, is omitted in the 
reader. The questions on that portion may be disre- 
garded, but the full list is given here for the sake of com- 
pleteness.) 

ROCHE. JAMES JEFFREY 

An American poet and journalist of Irish stock, born in 
Montmellick, Ireland, in 1847. In his infancy, his parents 
emigrated to Prince Edward Island, where he was edu- 
cated in Saint Dunstan's College. In 1866, he went to 
Boston, where he engaged in commerce and later joined 
the editorial staff of "The Pilot." His writings include 
"Ballads of Blue Water," "The Vase and Other Bric-a- 
Brac" and the "Story of the Filibusters." 

Selection: V, 69. 

186 



ROCK-A-BY LADY, THE • 

(Field — II — 112.) This exquisite lullaby is a succession 
of wonderful fancies. The conception of the Rock-a-by 
Lady herself, is very beautiful and will appeal to the 
fertile imagination of the child. The mystery of sleep 
has made the way of its approach a fine subject for 
poetic fabrications. The "Sand Man" is a facinating 
creation, and the Rock-a-by Lady is no less so, with her 
delicate feminine charm. Emphasize the street she 
comes from, and give the full significance of the poppies 
and their dreams. Follow the images through as they 
are suggested. Are the dreams mentioned in the second 
stanza for a little boy or girl? What of the third? The 
imagery in the third stanza must not be lost. The boats 
on silver streams, the stars peek-a-booing and the fairies 
flying up to the r.ioon, will furnish a picture that will 
enrich the child's imagination. The last stanza 's a 
clever modification of the first. The terms "tiny" and 
'fleet" are peculiarly descriptive of dreams. They come 
like little glimpses of a picture and are gone. 
ROMULUS AND THE BEGINNING OF ROME 

(Harding — V — 79.) This is a part of chapter two in a 
book called "The City of the Seven Hills." Why are the 
stories of the founding of Rome not likely to be authen- 
tic? Alba Longa, the most ancient town in Latium and 
deriving its name from the fact that it stretched in a 
long line down the Alban mountains toward the Alban 
Lake. Tell the story of the uncle's scheme to destroy 
Romulus and Remus. Is there any similarity between 
this incident and a bible story you are familiar with? 
Why did the shepherd who found the children take good 
care of them? What kind of characters did these chil- 
dren develop? What led to their punishing the cruel 
king? Why did they decide to found a new city? What 
location did they choose? What advantages had it? By 
what plan did they give it a name? 
ROSSETTI, CHRISTINA GEORGINA 

Born in London, December 5, 1830, daughter of Gabriel 
Rossetti, and sister of Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Her work 

187 



is made up of poetry that is mainly devotional in its spirit. 
Critics are agreed in assigning her a high place among 
modern women poets. Died, December 30, 1894. 
Selections: III, 81; IV, 24. 

SANDPIPER, THE 

(Thaxter — IV — 254.) The speaker is running along the 
beach. What is she doing? Why is she in a hurry? Who 
accompanies her? She is evidently connected with a 
lighthouse and hence leads a lonely life. Would this 
make her more concerned in rinding interest and com- 
panionship in the bird? In what is the bird like herself? 
What are some of the things that indicate the furious 
storm coming? Where will the speaker be during the 
storm? Will the bird have equal comfort? Why does 
she not fear for the sandpiper? — St. 1. Driftwood. Wood 
cast upon the beach by the sea. Notice the personifica- 
tion in line 4. — .St. 2. Sullen. Black and threatening. — 
Close-reefed. With sails tightly furled. St. 4. Loosed. 
What is the picture suggested? 

SANTA CLAUS'S PARTNER 

(Page — III — 94.) This selection is a part of a chapter 
from a book entitled "Santa Claus's Partner." Try to 
conceive of the state of mind of a little girl given Kitty's 
privilege on Christmas eve? What made Kitty feel it 
necessary to tell Mr. Brown that she knew who Santa 
Claus was? Do you think she was accustomed to as 
much money to spend as she liked? What incident proves 
this? When Kitty saw her wish coming true what effect 
did it have upon her? Why was she called Santa Claus's 
partner? What effect did her visit to the hospital have 
upon her? 

SARA CREWE AND THE BEGGAR GIRL 

(Burnett — IV — 6.^ This selection is from a book by 
the author, called "Sara Crewe." Could the author have 
found a better setting for the little heroine in which to 
test whether or not she was really a princess? Is there 
anything harmonious in the external appearance of Sara 

188 



and the kind of day? What sort of a disposition had she? 
Keep in mind any act or thought that will help explain 
Sara's character. What particular form did her "make- 
believing" take on this afternoon? How much is a six- 
pence? What did Sara refer to, when she said "It is 
true"? What was it in her that made her decide to ask 
the baker's woman if she had lost a piece of money? 
What made her take notice of the beggar girl? How was 
it her understanding was so keen? What incident with 
the beggar girl proves that Sara was still "make-believ- 
ing"? What does her conduct with the baker's woman 
show? Trace Sara's mental process as she gives her 
buns, one, then three, and then one. How do you ac- 
count for the beggar girl's behavior after Sara bids her 
"good bye"? In summing up Sara's conduct would you 
say she was worthy to be a real princess? Is such an 
imagination as hers a desirable possession? 

SAXE, JOHN GODFREY 

An American poet and humorist, born in Highgate, Vt., 
in 1816 and died in 1887. He graduated from Middlebury 
College and later was called to the bar. For a time he 
ran the "Burlington Sentinel," after which he was ap- 
pointed Attorney General of the state. Burlesques, sa- 
tires, and parodies abound in his work. 

Selection: IV, 16. 

SCHOOLMASTER, THE 

(Goldsmith — V — 172.) These lines are from Gold- 
smith's famous poem, called "The Deserted Village. 
This characterization of the schoolmaster in verse is a 
work of art, no phrase of which can be over-looked. 
What sort of a picture does the imagination compre- 
hend from the first four lines? The word "straggling" 
is a powerful descriptive. Explain in what way. 
Furze, a spiny shrub of the bean family having many 
branches and yellow flowers. — In what way could a 
plant be said to be "unprofitably gay"? Boding, having 
a presentiment. — To whom does the term "boding trem- 
blers" apply? Why should his pupils laugh with "counter 

189 



feited glee"? To what could the schoolmaster's severity- 
be attributed? What were his many accomplishments? 
Presage, foretell. — Gauge, ability to estimate capacity, — a 
nautical term signifying ability to judge position of 
vessels with reference to other vessels or to the wind — 
Vanquished, overcome, conquered. — What quality is ex- 
pressed in the line, "For even though vanquished, he could 
argue still"? What, after all, was the great wonder in 
regard to the schoolmaster? Do the lines 

"While words of learned length and thundering sound 
Amaze the learned rustics ranged around" 
give you any sort of a picture? 

SCHWATKA, FREDERICK 

Author of a juvenile book called "Children of the Cold," 
published by the Educational Publishing Company. 
Selection: III. 101. 

SCOTT, SIR WALTER 

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, August 15, 1771; educated 
at Edinburgh University; studied law; devoted much of 
his time to the reading and collection of old Scottish 
ballads and legends. In 1805, "The Lay of the Last Min- 
strel" was published, followed in 1808 by "Marmion" and 
in 1810 by "The Lady of the Lake." "Waverly," the first 
of his great novels, was published in 1814, and the others 
in the long series followed in rapid succession. The fail- 
ure of the publishing house, with which Scott was con- 
nected as a silent partner, left him burdened with a tre- 
mendous debt, which he worked hard to pay. The ex- 
ertion necessary to do this resulted in undermining his 
robust health, and he died September 21, 1832, "at Abbots- 
ford. Numerous editions of his novels and poems may 
be had at various prices. The great standard biography 
is the "Life" by his son-in-law, Lockhart, which has been 
called the best piece of biography in the English 
language. 

Selection: V, 47, 179- 

190 



SEA DIRGE, A 

(Shakespeare — V — 2J3.) One stanza of Ariel's song 
to Prince Ferdinand in the first act of "The Tempest." 
Ferdinand thought his father had been drowned, and these 
lines still further impress that idea upon his mind. Notice 
that the expression "sea-change" is the one around which 
the stanza is built. It means changed by the action of 
the sea. What transformations are mentioned? What 
is a fathom? What sound comes to your ear in the final 
lines? Characterize it. Do you like the music of these 
lines? 

SEA SONG, A 

(Cunningham — IV — 229.) This is an exquisite piece of 
music, expressing the spirit of the sea and the splendid 
sense of freedom known to the true mariner. It has no 
superfluous word in it and each sound is a fragment of 
the music of the whole. Read the first stanza aloud and 
note the wonderful rhythm that is the rhythm of the sea. 
The first two lines suggest the undulations of the verses. 
The second stanza has been omitted, and for the sake 
of the beauty of the whole is quoted as follows: 

O for a soft and gentle wind! 

I heard a fair one cry; 
But give to me the snoring breeze 

And white waves heaving high; 
And white waves heaving high, my lads, 

The good ship tight and free, — 
The world of waters is our home, 

And merry men are we. 

In this stanza, we have the answer of the true sailor to 
the landsmen who wishes for fair weather and a smooth 
sea. What is the force of "snoring" in this stanza? The 
feeling of security and happiness on the rough sea is ex- 
pressed here. What is meant by the "horned" moon? 
The music of the storm is audible in the third stanza and 
with it a wonderful exaltation of spirit that is born of 
freedom. What is meant by the "hollow oak"? 

191 



SECRET OF THE BRIER BUSH, THE 

(Seton — II — 154.) This little selection is very sugges- 
tive of the wonderful adaptiveness of Nature. When the 
rose bush had no thorns, who were its enemies? Why- 
was the rabbit not an enemy to the brier bush? What 
was his reward? Why is the brier bush a good refuge 
for the rabbit? 

SERVANT OF ALL, THE 

(Keary — III — 217.) What is a swineherd? Is it an 
enviable position? Whom did Carl meet first? What piece 
of news did he hear? Whom did he meet next? What 
service did he render? What excuse did he make for the 
donkey's being unreasonable? What was the next ser- 
vice? Was the rabbit reasonable? What did he do for 
the beggar? What risk was he running with his pigs? 
Enchanted, under the spell of spirits. — Cobbolds, earth 
sprites that inhabit mines and caves. Whom did he stop 
to help next? When he lifted the weight from the worm 
did he know he would lose his pigs? What spirit did 
he manifest when he found them gone? What did Carl 
find in the market place? What was his answer when the 
old man asked him what he had been doing in the wood? 
Who were the witnesses? What was the result? How 
did Carl manifest his modesty? 

SETON, ERNEST THOMPSON 

Artist, author and lecturer. Born at S. Shields in Eng- 
land in i860. He lived both in Canada and the west and was 
educated at Toronto Collegiate Institute and the Royal 
Academy, London. He became official naturalist to the 
government of Manitoba, and later studied art in Paris. 
He is now a well-known illustrator. Among his best 
known books are, "Wild Animals I have Known," "Bi- 
ography of a Grizzly,*' "Wild Animal Play for Children," 
"Lives of the Hunted," "Animal Heroes," "The Natural 
History of the Ten Commandments," etc. 

Selections: II, 3, 154. 

192 



SEWELL, ANNA 

Very little knowledge about this writer seems acces- 
sible except that she was an Englishwoman, who died un- 
married, shortly after the publication in 1877 of the book, 
"Black Beauty." This book made her famous, and a 
selection from it is given on page 318 of the fifth reader. 

SHAKESPEARE, WILLIAM 

Born at Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire, England, 
April 23, 1564; educated at the grammar school in Strat- 
ford; married Anne Hathaway in 1582, and about 1586 left 
Stratford for London. Here he became known as a skill- 
ful adapter of plays and a little later as a writer of 
original merit. For twenty years he seemed to be very 
prosperous in his chosen profession and retired about 
161 1, to Stratford, where he died April 23, 1616. Perhaps 
the best guide for the beginner, just making the acquaint- 
ance of this great author, is Dowden's "Shakespeare 
Primer," published by the American Book Company. 
Dowden's larger work entitled "Shakespeare, His Mind 
and Art" (Harpers), is. in the judgment of many com- 
petent students, one of the sanest critical volumes ac- 
cessible, while Sidney Lee's "Life of Shakespeare,'' pub- 
lished by The Macmillan Company, presents the latest 
conclusions on the many controverted questions con- 
nected with his career. The editions of Shakespeare's 
works and the various books written about him are al- 
most innumerable. Among the many good editions of his 
pla.) s some of the best for school use are Rolfe's (Ameri- 
can Book Co.), Hudson's (Ginn), and The Arden (Heath) 

Selections: 4. 96, 120; V, 166, 178, 220, 273. 

SHARP, DALLAS LORE 

An educator and clergyman, born at Haleyville, N. J., 
in 1870. He graduated from Brown University and later 
from a Boston school of Theology. At one time he was 
on the staff of the "Youth's Companion." Lie is author 
of "Wild Life Near Home." "Watcher in the Woods," 
and "Roof arid Meadow." 

Selections: III. 108; IV, 250; V, 90. 

193 



SHERMAN, FRANK DEMPSTER 

An American educator and well-known writer of light 
verse. He was born at Peekskill, N. Y., in i860. He 
graduated from the Columbia School of Architecture. 
He was made instructor in the department of architec- 
ture and later adjunct professor. He is author of 
•'Madrigals and Catches," "New Waggings of Old Tales" 
and "Lyrics for a Lute." For children he has written 
"Little Folk Lyrics." 

Selections: III, 27, 177; IV, 238. 

SHOOTING MATCH AT NOTTINGHAM TOWN, 
THE 

(Pyle — IV — 166.) This is taken from Howard Pyle's 
"Robin Hood." Burghers, freemen or citizens. — Range, 
the space limited for the march. — Pace, about three feet. — 
Fix in mind this gay picture of lords and ladies and the 
excitment that prevailed. Read aloud the herald's rules 
of the game until they are understood. Who was Robin 
Hood? Why did the sheriff look for him there? Lincoln 
green, a color associated with a kind of cloth for which 
Lincoln, England, was once famous, and worn by Robin 
Hood and his band of archers, — Clout, the center of the 
target, usually a piece of cloth or leather. Around the 
clout is a ring of black and still around that, on the out- 
side of the target, a white ring. — Yeoman, a man who had 
free land of forty shillings by the year. — What was the 
sheriff's argument that Robin Hood could be no one of the 
four strangers? Yew, bow made from the wood of the 
yew-tree. — Dais, a raised seat or platform. — When the 
sheriff gave the prize to Robin Hood, what offer did he 
make him? What reply did he get? What effect did 
Robin : s answer have on the sheriff? Murrain, a disease 
of cattle; the expression as used in the text means the 
same as "plague take 3^011." Sherwood Forest was the home 
of Robin Hood and his outlaws. What was the occasion of 
this motley company in Sherwood forest? Hind, a peas- 
ant. — What was the exciting incident of the Sheriff's 
dinner table? In what spirit was this action performed 

194 



by Robin Hood? Was there a reason for his not being 
at close range? What effect did this scroll have upon 
the sheriff? Why? 

SILL, EDWARD ROWLAND 

An American poet and essayist, born at Windsor, Conn., 
in 1841. He graduated at Yale in 1861 and after several 
years of teaching in the east, was made principal of the 
Oakland, Cal., High School, and later professor of English 
in the University of California. He returned to the east in 
1882. Among his best known writings are "Hermione and 
Other Poems," "The Hermitage," "Venus of Milo." His 
best prose is included in a volume called "The Prose of 
E. R. Sill." He died in 1887. 

►Selection : V, 62. 

SINGING LESSON, THE 

(Ingelow— IV — 156.) What are the leading character- 
istics of the nightingale? Are people who are talented 
usually sensitive? What was the effect of the mistake 
upon the nightingale's singing? Give the argument the 
dove used in order to set the nightingale right? In what 
way was the nightingale acting like an owl? Did the fact 
that the nightingale needed only to speak in order to 
create beauty make its responsibility any greater? What 
do you think was in the look the nightingale gave the 
dove? What is meant by the fifth line in the fourth 
stanza? What was the nightingale's mood when she sang 
again? Why was she not aware of the people that stood 
below? Do you think the poet confines the thought in 
this poem to singers? What class of people can be com- 
pared to the nightingale? Did the dove have a mission? 
What class of people can be compared to the dove? 

SIR BOBBIE 

(Piatt — II — 53.) What is there to account for the dif- 
ferent ambitions of young children? Explain the quali- 
ties expected in a real knight. What sort of lives do 
they lead? What was Bobbie's first knightly act? Men- 
tion others that followed. Does knightly conduct appl> 

195 



to the treatment of animals? Explain how this is in 
keeping with the real spirit of knighthood? What was 
the really big test of Bobbie as a knight? Did he prove 
himself? What reward was in store for him? Why did 
he wish his pony spoken of as a "steed?" Why did his 
mother speak of his having won his spurs fairly? Do 
knights have spurs? What did his mother mean by tap- 
ping him on the shoulder and saying, "Rise! Sir Bobbie"? 

SIR CLEGES AND THE CHRISTMAS CHERRIES 

(Darton — III — 60.) How did Sir Cleges come to be 
poor? What feelings were in his heart when he dis- 
covered the cherries? What was their first impulse after 
he and his wife found they were real cherries? Why did 
Sir Cleges have trouble with the porter? What did the 
porter make him promise if he let him in? Churl, a term 
of contempt, in this connection meaning "country jake." — 
What quality did the porter, the usher and the steward 
have in common? How did the King receive Sir Cleges' 
gift? What reward did the knight ask for? What was 
his motive in punishing these men? How did Sir Cleges 
happen to see the King again? What was the result? 
What was it that made Sir Cleges a true knight? 

SMITH, ANNA HARRIS 

Selection: IV, 107. 

SOMEBODY'S MOTHER 

(Anon. — IV — 148.} What feeling results from reading 
the first stanza? Why are old people timid? In the 
second stanza we have a contrast with the first, in the 
active bustling children probably going or coming from 
school? Were the children purposely indifferent to the 
old woman? What sort of a boy gave her assistance? Is 
there any point to his "whispering low"? Why do we 
owe attention to the aged? 

SNOW 

(Dodge-^III— 93.) In how many ways are snow flakes 
like feathers? In how many ways are clouds like birds? 

196 



What real work do the snow flakes clo^ How can a snow 
flake kiss a face? Be sure to express the first two lines 
of each stanza as spoken by a person, probably a child, to 
the snow ilakes and the last two lines of each stanza a- 
the repl}' of the snow flakes. 

SNOWDROP 

(Tennyson — IV — 2.37-) How and where does the snow 
drop bloom? Why is it called a "February fair-maid" : 
Hew is the expression "solitary firstling'' accurate? In 
what way is the snowdrop prophet of "the gay time"? 
Could you describe this poem in any term that would be 
applicable to the snowdrop? 

SONG, A 

(Browning — IV — 131.) This is the first song that 
Pippa sings as she starts out to enjoy her one holiday 
(see "A Spring Morning").. Among the great ones whose 
lots she envies is Monsignor, the Bishop. She wishes 
that she might be in his place since it seems that God's 
love is best of all. As she contemplates this there comes 
to her a sense of sharing in God's love and she sings the 
little song of the selection. From the sentiment of this 
poem, would you think the poet believed that God's 
presence filled our earth? In what sense can each work 
only as God wills? Is the term puppet meant to charac- 
terize a creature without a will? If we were literally 
God's puppets, how would it alter our moral responsi- 
bilities? 

SONG, A 

(Riley — V — 78.) Look through the poem and see if all 
the songs the poet refers to can be heard with the ear? 
In what sense do you think the word song is used? 
Where, then, is it that the real song exists? 

SONG-SPARROW, THE 

(Van Dyke— III— 6.) How old would a child likely be 
when he first began spelling the name of the smallest 
bird? Does the word "smallest" here really refer to bird, 

197 



or is it not meant to modify "name"? What is meant by 
a "gentle-joyful song"? What justifies the poet in speak- 
ing of March as the time when "snow returns to hide the 
earth"? How can the heart be warmed with mirth? What 
is meant by a "Joseph's coat"? What color do Quakers 
wear? Does the poet think the song-sparrow a well- 
dressed bird? Is there anything in the third stanza 
to indicate the poet's idea about clothes and outward 
appearance? What quality of the bird is described in the 
fourth stanza? How does the song-sparrow tell that 
"lowly homes to heaven are near"? Does he do this 
knowingly? Sum up all the qualities of the song-sparrow 
that make him the poet's choice? Are these same quali- 
ties valuable in human beings? 

SOUTHEY, ROBERT 

Born at Bristol, England, Aug. 12, 1774, educated at Ox- 
ford, with the plan of taking holy orders, but soon gave this 
up and entered the field of authorship. His reputation as 
a writer during his life was immense, but, it seems, has 
steadily declined since his death. His "Life of Nelson" 
is regarded as one of the standard biographies, while his 
"Battle of Blenheim" and "The Holly Tree" are found 
in most general collections of poetry. Died March 21, 
1843. Life in English men of Letters series. 

Selection: V, 93. 

SFRING IN KENTUCKY 

(Fox — V — 304.) Why the term Bluegrass when speak- 
ing of Kentucky? This is a fine piece of description in 
which every word has its own signifiance. In what sense 
may the earth be called spiritual? Why speak of "shy 
green" as applied to the earth's covering? What does 
the author mean by newly washed skies? Starling, a bird 
originally from Europe, brown, glossed with black, and 
having the extra muscles that make the perfect vocal 
mechanism.— What picture suggests itself by the line "all 
singing as they sang at the first dawn"? What is the 
significance of Mars being the morning star? What is 

198 



the force of "red" as applied to Mars? What is the effect 
of the description in paragraphs three and four? Note 
the number of sounds suggested. To what extent do we 
comprehend and enjoy natural phenomena through the 
sense of hearing? 

SPRING MORNING, A 

(Browning — V — 206.) This little poem is a song taken 
from Browning's dramatic poem "Pippa Passes." Pippa is 
a little factory girl employed in the silk mills in northern 
Italy. She has but one holiday in the year and she is 
determined to make the most of every second of it. She 
tries to imagine herself each of the four persons in turn 
whose lot she considers most enviable. First is Lady 
Ottima and her guilty lover. As Pippa passes on new 
year's morning, the shrub-house in which these lovers 
are talking over the murder of Ottima's husband, she 
sings this little song. They, hearing, are consumed with 
remorse and set about the expiation of their guilt. The 
little song is an expression through the pure and inex- 
perienced soul of a young girl, of the author's deep faith 
in life being right and the world sound at the core. In 
eight short lines are condensed the beauty of a new day 
and the joy of life that comes to the soul that has faith. 
Note the process of narrowing through the first three 
lines. Can you see the reason for it? What imagery is 
suggested by lines four, five and six? Is physical delight 
expressed in this poem? Is there spiritual joy as well? 

STAR-SPANGLED BANNER, THE 

(Key — IV — 243.") This poem was written by Francis 
Scott Key on Wednesday morning, September 14, 1814, 
when the British forces were attacking Baltimore (War 
1812.) The flag referred to was the one flying over Fort Mc- 
Henry. Key was temporarily prisoner on the British flag 
ship. Having waited through hours of terrible suspense 
during the bombardment of Fort McHenry, on the morn- 
of the 14th, through a rift in the fog, and smoke, he dis- 
covered the Stars and Stripes still proudly defiant, and 
immediately wrote the Star-Spangled Banner, our national 

199 



anthem. What is the all-important question expressed 
in the first stanza ? To what does "towering steep" refer? 
Vauntingly, boastingly. — Havoc, destruction. Key had seen 
the burning of Washington, and expected a similar fate 
for Baltimore. Pollution, staining, making vile. — What is 
meant by the reference to "hireling and slave" in the 
third stanza ? What does the author think should be the 
fate of the British? What is the one central idea in the 
last stanza? 

STEADFAST TIN SOLDIER, THE 

(Andersen — III — 237.) This selection is one of the 
finest of its kind. Nothing of the adventures of the little 
soldier with one leg must be lost. Why is reference made 
in the first paragraph to the new world of the toy sold- 
iers? — Uniform, a dress of given style worn by persons 
belonging to some company or body for the purpose of 
distinguishing them as members of that body. — Why did 
the hero of this story have but one leg? What was the 
first exciting thing that happened to the tin ^soldier? 
Waxen, made of wax. — Swans, large, web-footed, long 
necked birds, noted for their grace on the water. — Gauze, 
a light open-woven material. What was the main at- 
traction of the little maiden for the tin soldier? How was 
the conduct of the paper maiden and the ti-n soldier dif- 
ferent from that of the other toys? What was the first 
calamity that befell the tin soldier? Why did he not 
think it proper to shout while in uniform? — Undaunted, 
fearless. — Give the experience in the paper boat. What 
was the outcome of it? What was the conduct of the tin 
soldier through all these happenings? Perilous, dangerous. 
— Sylph, a slender, beautiful girl. — What was the final 
tragedy of the soldier? Why was it fitting that the 
paper maiden should be blown into the fire with the tin 
soldier? What is significant in the form in which his 
remains were found? Did you admire him? Why? 

STEP BY STEP 

(Holland — IV — 194.) The title of the poem is usually 
printed as "Gradatim." "Gradatim" is a Latin adverb 

200 



m 



meaning gradually, or step by step. This suggests the 
idea of the poem, which is that in the striving of the 
soul after higher things we must begin at the bottom and 
gradually build up, There is no such thing as attaining 
spiritual perfection at a bound. Holland's work is of 
special value for young people because of its sound moral 
suggestions. And these are so beautifully expressed that 
we^are not aware that he is preaching to us.— State the 
thought sf tU first stanza. Explain the picture suggested 
by the word ' ladder" and the way it is made. What is 
the main thoi ght of stanza 2? Of the third stanza? Is 
the picture ot climbing the ladder still carried along by 
the reader? What two stages in spiritual experience are 
.uo-eested in stanza 4? Are we likely to miscalculate our 
reaf worth? Why? (Stanza 5-) What line is repeated 
with slight variations in stanzas 4, 5 and 6? Of what 
value are hopes, aspirations, resolves, prayers? What 
else is n-eded'' What is the result of beautiful thoughts 
without fine action? (Stanza 7-) What seems to you to 
be the great thought of the poem? Do you see anything 
which the author gains by beginning and closing with the 
same lines? 
STEVENSON'S LETTER 

(ttt_ 2 27) The little daughter of Henry C. Ide, ex- 
chief justice of Samoa, was the little girl to whom Steven- 
con willed his birthday. Her name was Annie H. Ide and 
by the conditions of the will, her middle name was 
changed to Louisa. What had the little girl evidently 
sent to Stevenson in reply to his will? What did these 
prove to him? Peers, equals.-In what points did he 
consider himself and the name-daughter equals? How 
was it that Louisa became a month and twelve days 
younger after her adoption? Registered, written down 
officially or legally.-One-horse shay, a reference to the 
vehicle in Holmes's poem called "The Deacons Master- 
piece" This vehicle was so constructed that no part was 
Stronger than any other in consequence of which when 
it wore out, it all fell to pieces.-Revered, honored. 

201 



STEVENSON, ROBERT LOUIS BALFOUR 

Born in Edinburg, Scotland, November 13, 1850; edu- 
cated at the University of Edinburg; studied law but 
never practiced it; wrote "An Inland Voyage," 1878, 
•'Travels with a Donkey," 187Q; and the success of these 
books was followed by a series of romantic stories, such 
as "Treasure Island," a famous book for boys, "The 
Strange Case of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde," "Kidnapped," 
etc. "The Child's Garden of Verses" shows great genius 
in grasping clearly the child's point of view. Stevenson 
was a life-long invalid, the last years of his life being 
spent in the Samoan Islands where he had built a home 
called "Vailima" near Apia. Here he died December 3, 
1894, and was buried at the top of the mountain on which 
his home was located. Stevenson's works may be had in 
a uniform edition published by Chas. Scribner's Sons, 
New York City. A brief biography appears in the series 
called "Biographies of Great Scots." A more elaborate 
memoir is that by his cousin, Graham Balfour. 

Selections: II, 9, 60, 73; III, 247; IV, 40, 115. 

STONE, GERTRUDE L. 

Author (with M. Grace Fickett) of "Everyday Life in 
the Colonies." 

Selection: IV, 186. 

STORY OF ASLAUG, THE 

(Anon. — II — 158.) What possible reason could the 
wicked people have for harming Aslaug? Was there any- 
thing appropriate in the hiding place her grandfather pre- 
pared for her? Is there anything in. the name of the 
woman to whose house the old man came, that shows her 
character? What motive had she in allowing them to 
stay all night? Scowled, looked cross. — Why was she 
angry when the old man took the harp to the barn with 
him? Why did they kill Aslaug's grandfather? How 
were they disappointed in the harp? In what way dfd 
Grima take her spite out on Aslaug? Would you expect 
a woman like Grima to appreciate the riches she had In 
Aslaug? Tell how Aslaug happened to meet Prince 

202 



Ragnar. How did the sailors know she was not Grima's 
daughter? Why would Aslaug not promise at first to 
marry the prince? What did the prince do about it? 
Did he keep his promise? What treatment did Aslaug 
give to Grima in return for her cruelty? Why would you 
expect this of her? 

STORY OF FIDO, THE 

(Lang — III — 211.) What qualities in the dog make 
him particularly useful and companionable to man? What 
is the first evidence in the narrative of sympathy be- 
tween Fido and his master? Give all the evidence there is 
that Fido was behaving with intelligence? Was the 
Master justified in shooting Fido in view of the conduct 
of the dog? What was the final evidence of the dog's in- 
telligence and faithfulness? 

STORY OF MY LIFE, THE 

(Keller — IV — 204.) This is a selection from a book by 
Helen Keller, called "The Story of My Life." What 
would you judge to be the circumstances of her parents? 
What were her natural endowments, judging from the 
early incidents she relates? How old was she when her 
illness came? What passage in the selection tells you 
this? Imagine the sensation of being blind and deaf. 
Upon what sense did she depend most for her informa- 
tion? What was her first lesson with Miss Sullivan? 
Why did she consider the most important day in her life 
the one on which Miss Sullivan came? What was the 
first difficulty she encountered in her education? What 
was the incident that solved this difficult}'? Why did this 
experience afford her such deep joy? How old was 
Helen when she wrote the letter to Whittier? Where 
was she? What are the remarkable features of the letter? 
What powers of mind would likely be stronger in a per- 
son who had lost sight and hearing than in a normal in- 
dividual? What is the bond that would unite this child 
and the poet Whittier? 

203 



STORY OF JOSEPH, THE 

(Anon. — II — 75.) This is a story from the bible 
adapted for the child's comprehension. It is found in the 
thirty-seventh chapter of Genesis. Why do you think 
it was that Joseph was his father's favorite? What was 
the cause of his brother's hatred? What was the need of 
someone to watch the flocks in those days? Why did 
Joseph's father send him to the field? What did the 
brothers plot against him? Why did Jacob believe so 
readily the evidence of the bloody coat? Was Joseph's 
lot really made worse or better by his brother's selling 
him? What happened that brought Joseph and his 
brothers together again? What spirit did he show to- 
ward them? What was the first question he asked? 
Did the brothers really do him any harm? Had they in- 
tended to? 

STORY OF PETER RABBIT, THE 

(Potter — II — 102.) Do any of these little rabbits have 
names that sound like they belonged to rabbits? What 
kind of a home could a rabbit have in a sandbank? What 
do rabbits eat? Why did the mother tell them they could 
go into the field but not into Mr. McGregor's garden? 
What was the difference between Peter's conduct and that 
of his brothers? Why did Mr. McGregor seem so angry 
with Peter? Why had a net been put in the garden? 
What saved Peter when he got into the net? Why did 
Mr. McGregor say, "I'll catch him one of these days"? 
What stone wall did Peter run up against? Why did the 
mouse act as she did? From what Peter's mother said. 
what sort of rabbit do you think he was? Why was he 
not well that evening? What was the reward of the good 
rabbits that night? 

STORY OF RUTH, THE 

(Bible — IV— 245.) The story is found in the first and 
second chapters of Ruth. The name "Ruth" is Hebrew, 
meaning "friend." Be sure to recall the fact that Ruth 
and Orpah were not of Hebrew birth while the family of 
their husbands was. When Naomi had decided to return 

204 



to the land, of Judah, what was her advice to the two 
daughters-in-law? From her manner of addressing them 
what would you say in regard to her feeling for them? 
What was the difference in the decisions of the two? Had 
the Jews and the Moabites different gods? When did 
Naomi and Ruth arrive in Bethlehem? What were Ruth's 
reasons for asking to go into the field and glean corn after 
Boaz? Does "corn" refer to the kind we know? The 
gleaners were the ones who followed after the reapers and 
picked up the loose ears that were overlooked. It was a 
humble occupation and engaged in by the poor. What 
was Boaz's attitude to his servants? What was it that 
attracted the attention of Boaz to Ruth? What was the 
result of it in his treatment of her? What quality was it 
in this woman that was most prominent in her conduct? 

STORY-TELLING GAME, A 

(Ward— III — 23..) What does the mother mean when 
she says "It's weeks since I caught" a story? What plan 
does the aunt suggest for sending a story into the 
mother's brain? Where does the story take place? Who 
are the chief actors in the story? What is the character 
of each? How does the queen show her character? How 
does the king show his? In addition to pleasing the 
queen what was a fine result from the King's action? 
What does the author mean by the "black speck" in the 
queen's heart? 

STRANGER, THE 

(Tabb— IV— 183.) The poet makes the stranger rep- 
resent the vision of the individual as seen of others' eyes. 
Does the mask signify anything as to which the author 
might deem the truer vision? What is there in the poem 
to indicate that the writer does not consider this differ- 
ence in vision a tragedy? In Holmes' "Autocrat" we find 
the same theme touched on in the discussion of the three 
Johns. In addition to the John I recognize as myself, 
and the John other people think me to be, there is the 
John I really am. 

205 



STRAW, THE COAL, AND THE BEAN, THE 

(Andersen — II — 108.) A version of one of Hans 
Christian Andersen's stories for children. Have you ever 
noticed the black seam on beans? What made friends of 
the straw, the coal and the bean? What did they decide 
to do? What happened when they came to the stream? 
Do you see what amused the bean? How hard did she 
laugh? Where did she find help? 

SUGAR CAMP, THE 

(Warner— IV— 196). The book called "Being a Boy" 
by Mr. Warner has a chapter devoted to the description 
of the sugar camp from which this selection is taken. 
What are the essential steps in sugar and syrup making? 
Is the larger part of this narrative from the viewpoint of 
the grown-up or the boy? What incidents prove the au- 
thor's sympathy with the boy? — Qui vive, a Latin expres- 
sion literally translated meaning "who goes", but in gen- 
eral signifying on the alert. Unobstructedly, without ob- 
stacles. — Sap-yoke, a frame for carrying buckets on the 
shoulders. — Affectations, pretenses. — Congealed, hardened. 

SUNBEAM, THE 

(Anon. — II — 65.) Have you ever seen the sun rise? 
Can you see the sun's light before you see his face? Do 
birds wake up as soon as the sun rises? How do you 
know when they wake up? Whom did the sunbeam wake 
after the birds? What did it do? Who was the next 
after the rabbit? What did they do? Who came after 
the chickens? What is the first thing the bees did? Who 
was the last one to be wakened by the sunbeam? What 
did he do? How did the animals put him to shame? 
What feeling is expressed in the little verse? 

SUNDAY IN CENTRAL PARK 

(Matthews— V— 313.) This description is taken from 
a work by Brander Matthews called "Vignettes of Man- 
hattan." The term vignette indicates a picture, with a 
background shading off gradually. The selection gives us 
a number of glimpses into Central Park with nothing par- 

206 



tictilarly important to be impressed but just the little 
snapshots here and there as the casual observer would 
take them in strolling through. What sort of an atmo- 
sphere gives that "unfathomable" appearance to the sky? 
Aquatic. Growing in water. — Mall. A level shaded walk. 
— Sequestered. Quiet, protected. — Cosmopolitan. From 
all parts of the world. — Lozenges. Small cakes of sugar 
or confections. — Pedestrians. Those afoot. — Landaus. 
Two-seated carriages, having double top, the fore part 
of which can be removed and the back part folded up. — 
Hansom. A low, two-wheeled, one-horse cab, closed in 
front by a lid-like apron and having the driver's seat back 
of the top. — Tandem. Horses hitched one before the 
other. — Coupes. Low, four-wheeled, two-seated closed 
carriages, with outside seat, for the driver. — Phaeton. A 
light four-wheeled carriage, open at the sides and having a 
top. — Four-in-hand. Four-horse team. 

If one should try to characterize the impressions from 
this scene as a whole, one could say that there was a 
cosmopolitan air and a sense of leisure that indicated a 
holiday humor. Suggest that the pupil make a list of the 
various nationalities mentioned, also that he note the 
various situations that indicated a holiday spirit. 

SUSIE'S DREAM 

(Dayre — II — 5.) Where on the farm do you usually 
find a haystack? Why is it put there? Do you think 
the hen spoke in her own or in Susie's language? Was 
her first question a natural one? Why did she ask if the 
baby could scratch in the ground for worms and if she 
could say "peep, peep"? Were they silly questions? Was 
it what you might expect of an old mother hen to call the 
baby "queer" and say she would not trade one of her 
chickens for it? What makes you think the duck talked 
in its own language? What did the duck look for in the 
baby sister? What did she say about, her? Would you 
expect that of a duck? What did the sheep ask? Why 
did she conclude her lambs were worth twice as much? 
What did the cat ask? What was the cat's discovery in 
regard to the baby? How was her conduct different from 

207 



that of the other animals? What was the effect upon 
Susie? How did it end? Why did Susie have such a 
dream? 

SWALLOW AND I, THE 

(Anon. — II — 136.) What time in the year do the lilac 
or cherry blossoms come? Why did the swallow twitter 
with delight? Could a swallow fly a hundred miles in a 
day? What did she say when asked if she was tired? 
Where had she been? Why did she go? What does the 
swallow mean by saying she is "ever on the wing"? What 
kind of a suit is a "sober" suit? — Nestlings. Young 
birds. What became of the little birds she had the year 
before? Where had her home been before she went away? 
Where does she intend to live now? Use this in dramatic 
form and have it acted. 

SWIFT, JONATHAN 

Born in Dublin, Ireland, November 30, 1667. Educated 
at Trinity College, Dublin. The years of his early man- 
hood were spent as secretary in the household of Sir 
William Temple, at Moor Park. Swift's best known books 
are the "Tate, of a Tub," "The Journal to Stella" and 
"Gulliver's Travels." The first ridicules pedantry in re- 
ligion and literature. The second is a record of his in- 
most thoughts and feelings about people, politics, himself, 
written for Stella. The third is one of the greatest books 
in our language, equally fine either as mere story of fanci- 
ful adventure or as a magnificent satire on the English 
in particular and on mankind in general. The last two 
bocks of Gulliver show that Swift's gloomy misanthropy 
had increased until everything was distorted. Swift was 
affiicted with an incurable brain disease and in his final 
years he suffered constant torture. His tragic career came 
to a close October 19, 1745. "Go, traveler," says his 
epitah, written by himself, "and imitate if you can a man 
who was an undaunted champion of liberty." 

Selection: V, 158. 
TABB, JOHN BANNISTER 

A poet born in Virginia in 1845. He was educated by 

208 



private tutors and studied music in Baltimore. He served 
during the Civil War, and was held prisoner, 1864-65. He 
later taught in several schools and in 1884 was ordained 
a Catholic priest. His poems are mostly lyrical, some 
of the best known collections being "Poems Grave and 
Gay," "An Octave to Mary," and "Quips and Quiddits." 
Selections: III, 59, 1745 IV, 116, 183. 

TAYLOR, JANE 

Born in London in 178.3, and died in 1824. Her first 
production which appeared in print was the poem of 'The 
Beggar Boy." With her sister Ann, she gave much at- 
tention to juvenile works. Other productions of the au- 
thor are "Essays in Rhyme on Morals and Manners" and 
"The Pleasures of Taste and Other Stories." 

Selection: IV, 179- 

TENNYSON, ALFRED, LORD 

Born at Somersby, Lincolnshire, England, August 6, 
1809. The scenery and spirit of Lincolnshire enters 
largely into his writings. In company with his brother, 
Charles, he published a volume, "Poems by Two Broth- 
ers," in 1827; entered Trinity College, Cambridge, where 
he formed the friendship of Arthur Henry Hallam, who 
died in 1833 and grief for whose death forms the inspira- 
tion of "In Memoriam." Tennyson published a volume of 
poetry in 1830, another in 1832^ and '33, and then re- 
mained silent for about ten years. These ten years, how- 
ever, were not wasted, but spent in careful preparation 
and writing, so that when he came before the public in 
1842 his work was at once hailed as that of a master 
hand. "The Princess" appeared in 1847, "In Memoriam" 
in 1850 and "Idylls of the King" in 1859- These latter 
were not finally completed until the 1886 volume, which 
contained the part called 'Balin and Balan." Some of his 
more famous briefer works are "The Lady of Shalott. 
"Enoch Arden." "The Brook," The Palace of Art," "The 
Two Voices." "Locksley Hall" and 'Locksley Hall Sixty 
Years After." Tennyson also wrote a number of dramas, 

209 



three of them, "Queen Mary" (1875), "Harold" (1876), 
and "Becket" (1884), filling out the important gaps in 
English history not dramatically treated by Shakespeare. 
Other dramas are 'The Falcon," "The Cup," "The Promise 
of May," and 'The Foresters," the latter of which was 
produced by Augustin Daly. By common consent, Ten- 
nyson is ranked at the head of modern English poets In 
1850 he was made Poet Laureate, succeeding Words- 
worth in that position. He died at Aldworth, Surrey, Oc- 
tober 6, 1892, and on the 12th of that month was bv '*e^ 
in Westminster Abbey near the grave of Chaucer. l\*e 
best single volume complete edition, of his work; is that 
published by The Macmillan Company, New York City. 
The authoritative memoir, by his son, Hallam, is pub- 
lished in two volumes by the same house. A cheaper bio- 
graphy of merit is that by Arthur Waugh, while a stand- 
ard book for one just beginning a systematic study of 
Tennyson is a little volume by Dr. Henry Van Dyke 
called 'The Poetry of Tennyson," published by the Scrib- 
ners. 

Selections: IV, 57, I74> 237; V, 59, 191. 322. 

TENT SCENE, THE 

(Shakespeare — V— 220.) This passage is taken from 
the first part of the third scene of the fourth act of 
"Julius Caesar," a part of the famous quarrel scene. Let 
the class divide up into twos and read this passage in real 
dramatic fashion. Let 'each Brutus and Cassius try to 
put into the language of his part just what he feels the 
originals put into it. But they must understand clearly 
just what it all means. — What charge does Brutus make 
against Cassius? Does Cassius deny it? Which one 
seems to control his temper best? Give illustrations. 
Does Brutus seem to taunt Cassius? Where does he say 
the meanest things to Cassius? Why is Brutus not afraid 
of Cassius? Study carefully Brutus's explanation of the 
causes leading to the quarrel. Do you understand how he 
was willing to use money wrongfully secured, while un- 
willing to so raise it himself? Study carefully the 

210 



speeches by which they come to better terms. Which 
one deserves most credit for his kindly attitude? How 
does Cassius explain his inability to control his temper? 
What note of humor in Brutus' last speech?— Select and 
commit your favorite speeches.— Noted. Stigmatized, 
said mean things about.— Nice. Trivial. What is an "itch- 
ing palm"? The following line explains.— Ides of March. 
The fifteenth day.— What villain, etc. What does this 
question mean?— Grasped thus. What action went with 
these words?— Bay. Bark at— Drachmas. Greek coins. 
—Counters. Pieces of money. Why does Brutus speak 
so contemptuously of them?— Rived. Split.— Olympus. 
The mountain on which the gods lived.— Conned by note. 
Learned by heart.— Plutus. The god of wealtn.— Yoked 
with a lamb, etc. Do you think Brutus correctly analyzes 
his own character in these lines? 

THAXTER, CELIA 

Born at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, June 29, 1863. 
Her father was the keeper of the lighthouse on the Isles 
of Shoals, and here at Appledore most of her life was 
spent. The mystery of the sea and the meditations in- 
spired by her natural surroundings found lodgment in 
her work. Died August 26, 1894- Her works are pub- 
lished by Houghton, Mifflin & Company, Boston, Mass. 

Selection: IV, 254. 

THEATER IN OUR BARN, THE 

(Aldrich— V— 9.) This is a portion of a chapter taken 
from the book called "The Story of a Bad Boy." The cen- 
tral figure in this episode was left to the care of a Puri- 
tanical old grandfather ^and aunt in the absence of his 
parents, and in a chapter called "Lights and Shadows," he 
recounts the incidents of his adjustment to this new life, 
the experience in the selection being one of them.— 
Managerial. Belonging to a manager, or schemer. The 
reference to Prince of Denmark, the King, the grave- 
digger and fair Ophelia indicates that the Shakespearian 
roles were undertaken by this management. Bring to the 

211 



class the humor of these situations, such as the trick of 
the curtain, the price of admission and the Tell perform- 
ance. — Injunction. A judicial order requiring the party 
to do or refrain from doing some specified thing. — ■ 
Malestrom. A great whirlpool. — There is no point to 
this selection more than an appreciation of its fine style 
and excellent humor. This would be a good opportunity 
to go somewhat into the essentials of humor. 

THOMPSON, JAMES MAURICE 

An American novelist, poet and journalist, born in Fair- 
field, Indiana, in 1844. His boyhood was spent in the 
south. He served in the Confederate Army, and after 
the -war returned to Crawfordsville, Indiana, where 
he practiced law and civil engineering. He was 
State Geologist from 1885 to 1889. He died in 1901. 
His best known writings are his poetry, "My Winter Gar- 
den" and ''Alice of Old Vincennes." 

Selection: V, 202, 

THOREAU, HENRY DAVID 

Born at" Concord, Mass., July 17, 1817; graduated at 
Harvard in 1837; taught school for a while and spent 
most of his life quietly at Concord. He was rather eccen- 
tric in his manners and method of life. His writings, of 
which "Walden" is perhaps the best known, are noted 
for the intimacy of their touch with nature. Died May 6, 
1862. His collected works are published by Houghton, 
Mifflin & Co., Boston, Mass., and the most satisfactory 
account of his life is that by F. B. Sanborn in the Ameri- 
can Men of Letters series. 

Selection: V, 34. 

THREE BEARS, THE 

(II — 69-) Hardly any other folk tale, ancient or mod- 
ern, is a greater favorite with children than this of 
the three bears. It is generally used in some such sim- 
terest which centers in the three sizes of the bears and 
pie form as that given here, which preserves the in- 
everything about them, especially their voices. But these 



simplified forms sacrifice the moral of the story as it ex- 
ists in the original. The main interest in reading rests 
in reproducing the three sizes by means of the voice and 
children take great delight in doing so. 

So with this one suggestion in regard to the story as 
found in the reader, it seems worth while to reproduce 
the real "Story of the Three Bears" as Robert Southey 
wrote and published it in his strange old book called "The 
Doctor." You wilt find much to stimulate thought in the 
changes made and in the omissions wherever you find it 
in readers. 

THE STORY OF THE THREE BEARS 

A tale which may content the minds 
Of learned men and grave philosophers. 

— Gascoyne. 

ONCE upon a time there were Three Bears, who lived 
together in a house of their own, in a wood. One of 
them was a Little, Small Wee Bear; and one was a Mid- 
dle-sized Bear, and the other was a Great, Huge Bear. 
They had each a pot for their porridge, a little pot for 
the Little, Small. Wee Bear; and a middle-sized pot for 
the Middle Bear, and a great pot for the Great, Huge 
Bear. And they had each a chair to sit in; a little chair 
for the Little, Small, Wee Bear; and a middle-sized chair 
for the Middle Bear; and a great chair for the Great, 
Huge Bear. And" they had each a bed to sleep in; a Lit- 
tle bed for the Little, Small Wee Bear; and a middle- 
sized bed for the Middle Bear; and a great bed for the 
Great, Huge Bear. 

One day, after they had made the porridge for their 
breakfast and poured it into their porridge-pots, they 
walked out into the wood while the porridge was cooling, 
thai they might not burn their mouths, by beginning too 
soon to eat it. And while they were walking, a little old 
Woman came to. the house. She could not have been a 
good, honest old Woman; for first she looked in at the 
window, and then she peeped in at the keyhole; and see- 
ing nobody in the house, she lifted the lately The door 

213 



was not fastened, because the Bears were good Bears, who 
did nobody any harm, and never suspected that anybody 
would harm them. So the little old Woman opened the 
door, and went in; and well pleased she was when she 
saw the porridge on the table. If she had been a good 
little old Woman, she would have waited till the Bears 
came home, and then, perhaps, they would have asked 
her to breakfast; for they were good Bears, — a little rough 
or so, as the manner of Bears is, but for all that very 
good-natured and hospitable. B'ut she was an impudent, 
bad old Woman, and set about helping herself. 

So first she tasted the porridge of the Great, Huge Bear, 
and that was too hot for her; and she said a bad word 
about that. And then she tasted the porridge of the Mid- 
dle Bear, and that was too cold for her; and she said a 
bad word about that too. And then she went to the por- 
ridge of the Little, Small, Wee Bear, and tasted that; and 
that was neither too hot, nor too cold, but just right; 
and she liked it so well, that she ate it all up; but the 
naughty old Woman said a bad word about the little por- 
ridge-pot, because it did not hold enough for her. 

Then the little old Woman sate down in the chair of the 
Great, Huge Bear, and that was too hard for her. And 
then she sate down in the chair of the Middle Bear, and 
that was too soft for her. And then she sate down in 
the chair of the Little, Small Wee Bear, and that was 
neither too hard nor too soft, but just right. So she 
seated herself in it, and there she sate till the bottom of 
the chair came out, and down (she) came. .. .plump upon 
the ground. And the naughty old Woman said a wicked 
word about that too. 

Then the little old Woman went upstairs into the 
bed-chamber in which the three Bears slept. And first 
she lay down upon the bed of the Great, Huge Bear, but 
that was too high at the head for her. And next she lay 
down upon the bed of the Middle Bear; and that was too 
high at the foot for her. And then she lay down upon 
the bed of the Little, Small, Wee Bear; and that was 
neither too high at the; Jiead, nor at the foot, but just 

tt 214 



right. So she covered herself up comfortably, and lay 
there till she fell fast asleep. 

By this time the Three Bears thought their porridge 
would be cool enough; so they came home to breakfast. 
Now the little old Woman had left the spoon of the 
Great, Huge Bear, standing in his porridge. 

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN AT MY PORRIDGE !" 

said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff 
voice. And when the Middle Bear looked at his, he saw 
that the spoon was standing in it too. They were wooden 
spoons; if they had been silver ones, the naughty old 
Woman- would have put them in her pocket. 

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN^AT MY PORRIDGE!" 
said the Middle Bear, in his middle voice. 

Then the Little, Small, Wee Bear looked at his, and 

there was the spoon in the porridge-pot, but the porridge 

was all gone. 

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN AT MY PORRIDGE, AND HAS EATEN 
IT ALL UP !" 

said the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small wee 
voice. 

Upon this the Three Bears, seeing that some one had 
entered their house, and eaten up the Little, Small, Wee 
Bear's Breakfast, began to look about them. Now the 
Little old Woman had not put the hard cushion straight 
when she rose from the chair of the Great, Huge Bear. 

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY 
CHAIR!" 

saidlhe Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff voice. 

And the little old Woman had squatted down the soft 
cushion of the Middle Bear. 

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY CHAIR!" 
said the Middle Bear, in his middle voice. 

And you know what the little old Woman had done to 
the third chair. 

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SETTING JN MY CHAIR AND HAS SATE 
THE BOTTOM OF IT OUT !" 

said the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee 
voice. 

215 



Then the Three Bears thought it necessary that they 
should make further search; so they went upstairs into 
their bed-chamber. Now the little old Woman had pulled 
the pillow of the Great, Huge Bear, out of its place. 

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN LYING IN MY BED !" 

said the Great, Huge Bear, in bis great, rough, gruff 
vcice. 

And the little old Woman had pulled the bolster of the 
Middle Bear out of its place. 

'•SOMEBODY HAS BEEN LYING IN MY BED!" 
said the Middle Bear, in his middle voice. 

And when the Little, Small, Wee Bear came to look at 
his bed, there was the bolster in its place; and the pillow 
in its place upon the bolster; and upon the pillow was 
the little old Woman's ugly, dirty head, — which was not 
in its place, for she had no business there. 

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN LYING IN MY BED,^- 
said the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee 
voice. 

The little old Woman had heard in her sleep the great, 
rough, gruff voice of the Great, Huge Bear; but she was 
so fast asleep that it was no more to her than the roar- 
ing of wind, or the rumbling of thunder. And she had 
heard the middle voice of the Middle Bear, but it was 
only as if she had heard some one speaking in a dream. 
But when she heard the little, small, wee voice of the 
Little, Small, Wee Bear, it was so sharp, and so shrill, 
that is awakened her at once. Up she started; and 
when she saw the Three Bears on one side of the bed, 
she tumbled herself out at the other, and ran to the win- 
dow; Now the window was open, because the Bears, like 
good, tidy Bears, as they were, always opened their bed- 
chamber window vhen they^got up in the morning. Out 
the little old Woman jumped; and whether she broke her 
neck in. the fall; or ran into the wood and was lost there; 
or found her way out of the wood, and was taken up by 
the constable and sent to the House of Correction for a 
vagrant as she was, I cannot tell. But the Three Bears 
never saw anything more of her. 

216 



THREE BUGS 

(Cary — III — 172.) This little story is a sort of concrete 
sermon on the text.. "Live and let live." Not much effort 
is necessary to make it clear that this is a story of hu- 
manity rather than a bug story. What touches in stanzas 
one and two suggest the likeness between us and the 
bugs? While it is a very easjr thing to push one's philos- 
ophy too far, yet it seems reasonably sure that we have 
here a little allegory of the selfishness and competition of 
the world and of the evils that may result. The down- 
trodden and oppressed may turn with a fury that becomes 
irresistible. What is the way to settle a difficulty like 
that told of here? (Last four lines.) 

THREE LITTLE PIGS, THE 

(Grimm — II — 140.) The comparative value of straw, 
sticks and bricks as building material for houses could 
be discussed. Consider the enemies against which pigs 
should build. Follow the fate of first, second and third 
pigs. Make clear that the third pig escaped not because 
he was bigger or stronger but because he used his wits. 
Take up in order the episode of the turnips, the apples, 
and the fair and show how the pig's wits got ahead of 
the wolf. The grand climax of the water kettle gives 
still further emphasis to the fact that the pig came out 
ahead because he used the wolf's own methods, but used 
them more skilfully than he. 

THROSTLE, THE 

(Tennyson — IV — 51.) The throstle is a missel-thrush 
called by the people of Llampshire and Sussex the storm- 
cock, because it sings early in the spring in blowing 
weather. This poem was finished in February 1889, when 
Tennyson was recovering from a severe attack of gout. 
He sat in his kitchen-garden summer-house listening at- 
tentively to the different notes of the thrush in order to 
finnish the poem begun in that same garden years before. 
The cadences of the bird-song are closely imitated by the 
rapid repetition of certain sounds. The first three lines 

217 



of the first stanza represent the song of the throstle, and 
the last line 'the words of the listener. Follow this up 
throughout the poem, separating the song from the com- 
ments of the poet. What is meant in the second stanza 
by the tine "Sing the new year in under the blue? Why 
does the poet ask if the year is so new that the throstle 
should carol so madly? This poem takes very careful 
oral reading to bring out its delicate beauty. 

TIGER, THE 

(Blake — TV — 50.) A poem like this eludes a logical 
analysis. Its splendid power is in its emotional value. 
If you can succeed in inspiring a sense of mystery and 
awe in the contemplation of this marvelously fashioned 
creature, you have done what is most valuable to the 
child. Have you ever seen a cat's eye in the dark? 
Imagine what it would be to discover a pair and know 
they belonged to a tiger! In the light of this, read the 
first two lines of the poem. Is the body of the tiger 
unusually graceful? What is the force of "fearful" as 
applied to "symmetry"? The second stanza suggests 
the thought that the fire of its eyes must have been 
caught from some mighty force in nature, and the ques- 
tion is asked "Who has the courage to dream of chaining 
this force, or the power to execute the idea?" In the 
third stanza the moral is with respect to both the strength 
and the art that could construct the heart of this creature 
and in the same manner make its "dread" hands and feet. 
In the fourth stanza, we have the figure of the anvil used, 
and the problem that of forging the terrible brain of the 
tiger. What is there in the fifth stanza to signify the 
power of this creative intelligence that must have made 
the tiger? What is the force of the last question in the 
stanza? In the sixlh stanza what is the only variation 
from the first? Wha*- is the extra significance of the 
word "dare"? 

TIMROD, HENRY 

An American poet, born at Charleston, South Carolina, 
December 8, 1829; died at Columbia, South Carolina, Oct. 

218 



6, 1867. He was an author of considerable power. His 
poems, with memoir by P. H. Hayne, were edited in 1873. 
Selection: V, 233. 

TO A BUTTERFLY 

(Wordsworth — [V — 121.) It is truly the Nature-loving 
Wordsworth that wrote these lines to a butterfly. The 
habits of the poet are suggested in the first lines. It is 
this patient sympathetic observation of all nature that 
has always characterized the work of Wordsworth. A 
half hour is a long time to spend watching a motionless 
butterfly if the observer is not devoutly in love with 
living things. What does the word "self-poised" suggest 
to the imagination? The body of the poem is made up of 
the meditations of the poet while contemplating the mo- 
tionless butterfly. Tn the last four lines of the first stanza 
is reflected the poet's wonderful sense of the joy in nature 
and of the poetry of motion. The second stanza is an 
appeal to the butterfly to come often to this orchard. In 
the mind of the poet the presence of the butterfly is 
necessary to the atmosphere "of sunshine and of song." 
Sanctuary. A place of refuge. — What does the author 
mean by the "days that were as long as twenty days are 
now"? See if the child can draw upon his own experience 
for an illustration of this statement. 

TO A WATERFOWL 

(Bryant — 1818 — V — 18.) In Bigelow's life of Bryant in 
the American Men of Letters the following well-known 
story of the inception of this poem is given: "When he 
journeyed on foot over the hills to Plainfieid on the 15th 
of December, 1815, to see what inducements it offered 
him to commence there the practice of the profession to 
which he had just been licensed, he says in one of his 
letters that he felt 'very forlorn and desolate.' The world 
seemed to grow bigger and darker as he ascended, and 
his future more uncertain and desperate. The sun had 
already set leaving behind it one of those brilliant seas 
of chrysolite and opal which often flood the New England 
skies, and, while pausing to contemplate the rosy 

2*9 



splendor, with rapt admiration, a solitary bird made its 
winged way along the illuminated horizon. He watched 
the lone wanderer until it was lost in the distance. .He 
then went on with new strength and courage. When he 
reached the house where he was to stop for the night he 
immediately sat down and wrote the lines 'To a Water- 
fowl,' the concluding verse of which will perpetuate to 
future ages the lesson in faith which the scene had im- 
pressed upon him. . . . Bryant was only twenty-one 
years of age when he wrote this poem which by many is 
thought to be the (me they would choose to preserve, if 
all but one of his poems were condemned to destruction." 
— What is the question of stanza I? What is the picture 
brought before the mind by this stanza? What thought 
is expressed in stanza 2? Does this stanza fill out or 
make clearer in any way the picture given? What three 
possible destinations for the water fowl are mentioned in 
stanza 3? What is the poet's explanation of the fowl's 
seeming certainty of movement toward its unknown goal? 
How does this account for the facts brought out in stanza 
5? What end does the poet see to this toilsome journey? 
Why does the picture which the poet has seen impress 
him so deeply? (Because he recognizes in it an illustra- 
tion of his own career.) What is the great lesson which 
this poem presents? — What analogy does the poem pre- 
sent? An analogy between the certain flight of the fowl 
and ''the long way" (course of life). Point out all the 
respects in which they are alike. What is the feeling 
that the poem impresses upon the reader? — There is a 
quiet dignity about the language that fits it for the 
solemnity of the lesson which it is to convey. The one 
necessary thing to do with the language is to let the at- 
tention dwell upon each word until its whole poetic 
significance is grasped. 

TODAY 

(Carlyle — V — 22.) The great mystery of time as it 
comes out of eternity and slips into eternity again is 
simply and beautifully expressed in this poem, The point 

220 



to he made plain is that the "now" and today are all that 
we have in which to live. What is the force of "blue" as 
applied to the word "day" in the second line of first 
stanza? In the second stanza the idea may be a trifle 
more comprehensible if it be expressed in terms of 
future and past. If the relentless march of time can be 
impressed upon the pupil from a reading of the poem, 
that is the most the teacher can expect to do. 

TOM 

(Woolson — IV — 21.7.) This little narrative poem is so 
simple in construction and straightforward in its, move- 
ment, that no particular plan of developement is neces- 
sary. This is an excellent poem for reading orally. When 
properly read, there is little to explain to the pupil. 

TONGUE-CUT SPARROW, THE 

(Anon. — III — 74.) This is a study in contrasts. On 
the one hand we have the kind little old woman who was 
the friend of the sparrow, her course of conduct and her 
reward; on the other we have the shrewish old lady, her 
conduct and her reward- Whatever helps to heighten 
the contrast is to the point. What was the occasion of 
the kind woman's first acquaintance with the sparrow? 
What was her immediate reward? What was her reason 
for hunting up the home of the sparrow? What was her 
attitude to other animals? What was her reward? How 
did the sparrow and his family show their gratitude, to 
the old woman? What motive prompted her choice of 
baskets? What was the result? What was the cross old 
woman's motive for going to the home of the sparrow? 
Did she have the help of animals in finding the place? 
What kind of a reception did she have at the sparrow's 
house? What does this indicate in the sparrow? What 
was the cross woman's choice? What was her motive? 
What did she get. Be careful to make plain the fact that 
each took the consequences of her own choice. The 
beautiful nature reaped beauty; the ugly reaped uglin 
Some interest might be added by describing n Japanese 
house and customs. 

221 



TO THE RESCUE 

(Cooper — V — 241.) This is a chapter from "The Spy." 
The description of the night and the locality increases 
the intensity of interest in the situation. A solitary wo- 
man abroad at that time of night must have an important 
mission. The air of mystery is intensified by her search 
for a dwelling. Vestige. Evidence — Fix in mind the pic- 
ture of the hut. How was it built? What evidence was 
there in its construction that it was a hiding-place? De- 
scribe the occupant of the hut. Surtout. A close-fitting 
long coat — What would the situation and surroundings 
of the occupant suggest as to his business and purposes? 
Would you judge from his manner and from the attitude 
of Frances that Harper was a man of influence? Cardinal. 
A short hooded cloak. — What was the effect of the girl's 
petition upon this man? What high praise did he render 
her? From this speech, what quality do you consider 
was the dominating one in his character? Dragoons. 
Cavalrymen. Although left without a knowledge of the 
actual outcome of the adventure, is the reader left with a 
feeling of hope or discouragement? What incidents 
bring about this effect? 

TOURNAMENT AT TEMPLESTOWE, THE 

(Scott — V — 179.) This long extract is taken from the 
43rd chapter of "Ivanhoe." The events that lead up to 
this judicial combat and the motives that actuate the 
various characters can only be gathered imperfectly from 
the part given. If the teacher is familiar with the novel 
he should by all means tell the children enough of the 
story to make these clear. Otherwise the dramatic ele- 
ment in the death of the Templar will be the main value 
to work, and this in itself is worth while. De- 
scribe the situation as you understand it after reading 
the opening pages. Why is Rebecca to be executed? 
What request does Rebecca make? Why did Bois-Guil- 
bert remain after the herald had left her? What does 
this tell you of his motive? What excuse was adopted to 
make it unnecessary for Bois-Guilbert to malce oath that 

222 



his quarrel was just? Can you, however, give the real 
reason? What champion appeared for Rebecca at the 
last moment? What effect did his coming have on the 
Templar? Give an account of the fight. What was its 
result? What caused the Templar's death? How did the 
Grand Master explain it? — As they thus conversed. A 
group of characters awaiting the judicial combat — Cap-a- 
pie. From head to feet. — Lists. The ground fenced off 
for the combat. — Devoir. Duty, or service. — Oyez. Hear! 
The introduction to a proclamation by a court official or 
public crier. It is always repeated thrice. — Appellant. 
One who looks to a tribunal, in this case the appeal to 
combat, for vindication. — Gage. Anything thrown down 
as token of challenge. — Reliquary. A case for carrying 
relics. — "Faites, vos, etc." Do your duty, brave knight. 
— Laissez Aller. Let go! Away! — Unshriven and un- 
absolved. Not having received the last offices of the 
church. Explain, "Kill not body and soul!" 

TOWN MUSICIANS, THE 

This little narrative appeals to the child by reason of 
the spirit of adventure in it. The fact that all four of 
the animals escaped their doom by running away is a 
source of great satisfaction. Make clear the point that 
the}'- had all gotten too old for use. In the second part 
develop the idea that these friends, by using their wits 
and working together harmoniously, got what they 
wanted. This pyramid of animals at the robbers' window 
gives a very funny turn to the story and an opportunity 
to test the pupils sense of humor. 

TRAVEL 

(Stevenson — IV — 40.) In this poem, the chief result to 
be achieved is a series of pictures, vividly presented to 
the child's mind. In the first allusion recall the story 01 
the golden applies. (Find reference to this in "Barefoot 
Boy"). Next comes a picture of a tropical island on 
which are the luxuriant forests filled with gaudy colored 
parrots. Next a scene from the adventures of "Robinson 

223 



Crusoe" and thus through the selection. — Cockatoo, a 
parrot with an erectile crest. — Mosque, a Mohammedan 
temple of worship. — Minaret, a slender tower. — Flamingo, 
a long necked, small bodied bird, having long legs and 
web feet. — Palanquin, an Oriental conveyance borne on 
the shoulders of men by means of poles. — Caravan, a 
camel train in the desert. What is fitting in the adjec- 
ture "knotty" as applied to a crocodile? The climax to 
these pictures is the elaborate description of the deserted 
city. Let no detail of this escape the imagination for 
out of it will arise a true sense of adventure, the feeling 
for which Stevenson makes the appeal. 

TUCKER, E. S. 

Selection; II, 20., 

TWENTY-THIRD PSALM, THE 

(Bible — III — 24.) One is safe in saying that this 
wonderful, poem of faith and gratitude should be com- 
mitted to memory, — so firmly committed that there is 
little danger of forgetting it. Few passages in the Scrip- 
ture have taken such hold of the human mind and found 
their way into common speech as this. Perhaps the chil- 
dren may be helped with the oriental and pastoral imagery 
by simple explanation, but any theological dogmas that 
suggest themselves in connection with it need not be im- 
pressed upon their minds. If it is studied here in the 
same careful manner in which any piece of literature is 
studied, the student is on the surest road toward its 
deeper content. 

TWO FOXES 

(Anon. — II — 13. ) Make it plain that the fox who 
wanted to start a quarrel invited his brother to help him 
in politest fox language. What had given this fox the 
idea of quarreling? What was the first thing they tried 
to quarrel over? Why did they not succeed? What was 
the second thing? How did it terminate? What was the 
real reason they could not quarrel? What is there that 
shows the foxes to be real brothers? 

224 



TWO POETS OF CROISIC, THE 

(Browning — V — 317. ) This little prologue is evidently 
addressed by Browning to his wife. Like many of his 
tributes to her it suggests his sense of the insignificance, 
the disgrace, of the world before she came into his life. 
Notice that each stanza is the account of a change that 
took place, of a sudden splendor that came, in the twink- 
ling of an eye. With what depressing picture does the 
poem open? What transformation? Give the picture — with 
its two sides, before and after — suggested in stanza 2. What 
transformation in his own life is portrayed in the third 
stanza? What imagery is in your mind as you read it? 
— Study with special care the third line of each stanza. 
Think over them till you can see what they say. — Since 
his wife was a famous poet, does it seem appropriate that 
a poem about poets should thus be dedicated to her? 

TYPICAL AMERICAN, THE 

(Grady — V — 201.) This eloquent tribute to Lincoln 
was a part of an address made by Mr. Grady at a banquet 
of the New England Club, in 1886. In this address upon 
"The New South" Mr. Grady characterized the two 
great streams that came together in the making of the 
American Nation. These were the Puritan and the 
Cavalier. Out of this developed the idea of the type 
that was strictly American. Make plain to pupils the 
sense in which type is used. Characterize the Puritan 
and the Cavalier. What is meant by "straightening of 
their purposes and the crossing of their blood?" Compre- 
hend, to grasp mentally. — Fused, mingled.— Martyrdom, 
the dying for a cause. — Infamously, shamefully. — Conse- 
crated, set apart. The essential feature of this selection is 
the marvelous qualities and the masterful wisdom com- 
bined in the man Lincoln, and reflecting what was typically 
great in AmeHcan character. This selection c^an be 
memorized to advantage, both by reason of the balance 
in style and the dignified beauty in sentiment. 



ULYSSES 

(Tennyson — V — 322.) 

I. 

In 1833 a crushing sorrow came into the life of Tenny- 
son. His collegemate and closest friend — his brother-in- 
law to be — Arthur Hallarri, died suddenly at Vienna. Hal- 
lam was a young man of great promise and of an usually 
attractive personality. For many years Tennyson strug- 
gled with this grief and out of that struggle came a group 
of great poems, including his masterpiece, "In Memoriam." 
One brief poem, however, is more intimately connected 
with the immediate revival from the shock than "In 
Memoriam," — the poem "Ulysses." In the midst of the 
deadening grief Tennyson recognized the necessity of 
holding on to life, of taking up in some form or other his 
burden of not allowing his loss to crush him. Speaking 
of this poem Tennyson said:" "'Ulysses' was written soon 
after Arthur Hallam's death, and gave my feeling about 
the need of going forward, and braving the struggle of 
life perhaps more simply than anything in "In Me- 
moriam.' " 

II. 

So much for the need out of which the poem sprang. 
It is a message from "out the depths" and a message with 
no uncertain sound. Now, let us look at the material 
used by the poet as a means of conveying his message. 
The old story of Ulysses as told by Homer does not 
present this incident. Ulysses had no companions left 
when he reached home. They had all fallen by the way- 
side in the homeward journey. He, himself, worn out 
with years of struggle was only too glad of the oppor- 
tunity to spend his few remaining years in peaceful effort 
among his people. The germ of the poem will not be 
found then in the familiar version of the Ulysses story 
that most people know, but in the 26th Canto of Dante's 
"Inferno." The whole passage referring to Ulysses is 
given as found in Cary's translation: 

"When I escap'd 

From Circe, who beyond a circling year 

226 



Had held me near Caieta, by her charms, 
Ere thus Aeneas yet had named the shore, 
Nor fondness for my son, nor reverence 
Of my old father, nor return of love, 
That should have crowned Penelope with joy, 
Could overcome in me the zeal I had 
T' explore the world, and search the ways of life, 
Man's evil and his virtue. Forth I sail'd 
Into the deep illimitable mam, 
With but one bark, and the small faithful band 
That yet cleav'd to me. As Iberia far, 
Far as Morocco either shore I saw, 
And the Sardinian and each isle beside 
Which round that ocean bathes. Tardy with age 
Were I and my companions, when we came 
To the strait pass, where Hercules ordained 
The bound'ries not to be o'erstepped by man. 
The walls of Seville to my right I left, 
On the other hand already Ceuta past. 
'O brothers!' I began, 'who to the west 
Through perils without number now have reach'd 
To this the short remaining watch, that yet 
Our senses have to wake, refuse not proof 
Of the unpeopled world, following the track 
Of Phoebus. Call to mind from whence we sprang: 
Ye were not formed to live the life of brutes, 
But virtue to pursue and knowledge high.' 
With these few words I sharpen'd for the voyage 
The mind of my associates, that I then 
Could scarcely have withheld them. To the dawn 
Our poop we turn'd, and for the witless flight 
Made our oars wings, still gaining on the left." 
It will be noted that not all the suggestions in this 
passage are utilized, but that some points from the narra- 
tive as found in Homer and Virgil are combined with 
these. If -time permits, it would be an interesting and 
valuable study for a class to take up these various ele- 
ments and observe the way in which Tennyson has 

227 



wrought them into a unity and the purpose served by each 
detail selected. 

III. 
With these points regarding the origin and basis of the 
poem in mind, let us turn to the poem and run through 
it somewhat as the class must do in order to gather its 
message. 

1. Who speaks and under what circumstances? 

It must be observed that the poem is dramatic in its 
conception, — that it represents the old Ulysses at a criti- 
cal point in his career, just as he is ready to set sail. 
Apparently he stands near the shore and is making a 
final address to his mariners and others before he leaves. 
The important thing for the poet to do is to make clear 
the motive, the purpose, back of Ulysses' action. Con- 
sidering all the dangers and trials through which his 
wanderings of twenty years had taken him, it would 
seem that the most natural thing would have been for 
him to welcome the repose which his quiet duties would 
have brought. 

2. Why is Ulysses dissatisfied? In what respect is he 
unappreciated by his people? What kind of life has he 
led in the past? How was he regarded in this more 
strenuous life of the past? Notice some of the principles 
of life stated by Ulysses in the first paragraph (lines 1-32). 

W.e may observe that the poem naturally divides itself 
into three parts. Ulysses first addresses the world, ex- 
plaining why he can not be content to stay at home — how 
that, to him, means stagnation. In the second part of his 
monologue he presents Telemachus as his successor and 
points out his fitness to rule. In the third and final por- 
tion, he addresses his mariners, — 

"Souls that have toiled, and wrought, and thought 
with me — " 

assuring them that 

"... Ere the end, 
Some work of noble note may yet be done, 
Not unbecoming men that strove with God, 

228 



and that while they have been made weak by time and 
fate they are still 

Strong in will 
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield." 
Perhaps the necessity of meeting whatever of life remains 
with a brave and unfaltering heart has never found a more 
vigorous, masuline, statement than in the first half of this 
poem. 

3. To whom does he leave his scepter? What are the 
chief characteristics of Telemachus? Why is he well- 
qualified for taking up the work that Ulysses leaves? 
Notice that in all essentials his nature stands in contrast 
to that of Ulysses. Do the words of Ulysses imply con- 
tempt for the type of character possessed by Telemachus, 
or do they simply recognize the fact that "it takes all 
kinds of people to make a world?" (lines 33-43. These 
lines are omitted from the text as given in the reader. 
The study suggestions are included here for the sake of 
completeness.) 

4. The third division of the poem (lines 44-70) makes 
up the direct address to his companions, those old 
weather-beaten mariners who have survived the adven- 
tures of the past and are now to accompany Ulysses in 
his search for a "newer world.' - ' Why are they fit com- 
panions for Ulysses? Notice the points in his appeal to 
them. (If possible compare Longfellow's "Morituri Salu- 
tamus" which contains an expression of the same kind.) 
Observe the final statement of the purpose of the voyage. 
In what way is the poem an expression of the unconquer- 
able will? 

IV. 
Tennyson's Ulysses is, in fact, an embodiment of the 
modern ''passion for knowledge; for the exploration of 
its limitless fields for the annexation of new kingdoms of 
science and thought." Mr. Brimley in his "Essays" says: 
'The terse, laconic almost epigrammatic vigor of lan- 
guage put into the mouth of Ulysses marks the man of 
action and resource in time of danger, the man accustomed 
to rule and to be obeyed." Mr. Stedman in his "Victorian 

229 



Pcets" says that, "For visible grandeur, and astonishingly 
compact expresssion, there is no blank-verse poem, equal- 
ly restricted as to length, that approaches the 'Ulysses.' " 
Aubrey DeVere says: "It shows us what heroism may be 
even in old age, though sustained by little except the love 
of knowledge, and the scorn of sloth." Carlyle said that 
it was "Ulysses" which first convinced him that Tenny- 
son was a true poet. And we find R. H. Home writing 
in 1843, the year after "Uiyssses" was published: "The 
mild dignity and placid resolve — the steady wisdom of 
future storms — the melancholy fortitude, yet kingly resig- 
nation to his destiny which gives him a restless passion 
for wandering — the unaffected and unostentatious modesty 
and self-conscious power — the long softened shadows of 
memory cast from the remote vistas of practical knowl- 
edge and experience, with a suffusing tone of ideality 
breathing over the whole, and giving a saddened charm 
even to the suggestion of a watery grave — all this, and 
much more, independent of the beautiful picturesqueness 
of the scenery, render the poem of 'Ulysses' one of the 
most exquisite in the language/ " 

VAN DYKE, HENRY 

Poet and prose-writer. Since 1900, professor of Eng- 
lish literature at Princeton University. He was born at 
Germantown, Pa., November 10, 1852. Was educated for 
the ministry and held important charges and lecturesships, 
before he was called to Princeton. His prose work has 
been very popular. Perhaps his most widly read story is 
"The Other Wise Man." Other important titles are, "Lit- 
tle Rivers," "Fisherman's Luck" and "The Ruling Pas- 
sion." His poetic volumes are "The Builders and Other 
Poems," "The Toiling of Felix and other Poems," "Music 
and Other Poems." "The Poetry of Tennyson" is a 
standard piece of criticism. 

Selections: III, 6, 160; V, 92, 124, 235. 

VARNEY, MINNIE T. 

Selections: III, 82, 165. 

230 



VICAR'S SERMON, THE 

(Mackay— IV — 210.) A child's idea of morals is ac- 
quired through the concrete example rather than through 
an abstract principle. A good plan with a lesson like 
this is to ask for illustrations of the various truths as 
they are expressed. In the first stanza and third line, 
where does the emphasis fall in oral reading in order to 
express the meaning? Where in the fourth line? In the 
second stanza and seventh line where does the emphasis 
fall? Where in the last line? In the second stanza there 
is a very fine moral truth to be Brought out. It is the 
fact that conduct affects the character of the person per- 
forming the act, much more powerfully than it does the 
character of any one else. What is meant by a white lie? 
How do black and white have a moral quality when ap- 
plied to conduct? 

VILLAGE BLACKSMITH, THE 

(Longfellow— 1839— III— 139-) In his journal Longfel- 
low refers to this poem as "a new Psalm of Life," and 
again in a letter to his father as "A kind of ballad on a 
Blacksmith . . . which you may consider, if you please, 
as a song in praise of your ancestor at Newbury," the 
first Stephen Longfellow having been a blacksmith. "The 
Village Blacksmith" is one of the best examples of Long- 
fellow's power of insight into the worth and poetry of 
lowly themes. The simplicity of the blacksmith's char- 
acter, its genuineness, constitutes its value for us. Notice 
that the poem gives us in order (a) the setting (st. 1, 
lines 1 and 2), (b) appearance of the smith (sts. 1 and 2), 
(c) illustrative glimpses of his life sugesting the main 
traits of his character (sts. 2-6), (d) a summary of his 
life. Discussion of the poem may move along the lines 
of this analysis.— Picture clearly the smith. Point out all 
the passages that help you understand what kind of man 
he is. (This characterization is the great thing. The 
pupils should see that he is honest, steadily industrious, 
reverent.' full of parental love and pride, and of tender 
memories.) Do you admire the smith? Notice how the 

231 



first line of stanza 7 sums up his life — and all our lives. 
What principle stated in stanza 7 can we put into daily- 
practice? In what sense are we all blacksmiths? (The 
answer to this question will be an explanation of the last 
four lines. "Life is like a flaming forge, upon which we 
hammer out our fortunes, just as a blacksmith hammers 
out his iron"). — Poe says: "We have (in 'The Village 
Blacksmith') the beauty of simple-mindedness as a gen- 
uine thesis; and this thesis is inimitably handled until the 
concluding stanza, where the spirit of legitimate poesy is 
aggrieved in the pointed antithetical dedtictions of a moral 
from what has gone before." Do you agree with Poe 
in his statement of the theme? Do you think, with 
him, that the poem is worse for the statement of the 
moral in the last stanza? — Point out the comparisons 
used? What does tan (in st. 2) mean? — The children of 
Cambridge presented the poet on his 72nd birthday with 
a chair made of the wood of the "spreading chestnut 
tree." If possible read to the class Longfellow's "From 
My Arm Chair." 

VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS, A 

(Moore — III — 89.) The atmosphere in which this little 
poem opens is the first point of consideration. Bring 
forcibly to the imagination of the child, that perfect quiet 
of the household and with it that perfect air of expecta- 
tion that is reflected in the first part of the poem, and 
that has doubtless been the actual experience of the child 
himself. Test the understanding of certain figurative pas- 
sages by asking pupils to paraphrase them. Such pass- 
ages are the following: 

"While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads." 
"Had just settled our brains for a long winter's rap." 
"The moon, on the breast of the new fallen snow." 
"As dry leaves before the wild hurricane fly." 

Lustre, splendor, glow. — Miniature, smaller than the 
natural. — Coursers, spirited and swift horses. — Obstacle, 

232 



something in the waj'. — Hurricane, a violent wind storm. 
Tarnished, stained, discolored. — Droll, queer. — Elf, a mis- 
chievous person. Ask for the names of the reindeer of 
St. Nicholas. What is there fitting in these names? What 
are the terms used to describe St. Nicholas? How is the 
character as it is described in the poem consistent with its 
mission? 
VISIT TO THE WRECK, A 

(Wyss — V — 63.) This selection from "Swiss Family 
Robinson" describes the visit to a wrecked vessel and the 
return trip with the spoils. What device did they have as 
a signal for the family? Breach, gap or break. What were 
they forced to do before they could return? What cargo 
did they take on? What device did they invent for get- 
ting animals back with them? What adventure did they 
have on the way? Describe the belt and collar made by 
Jack during their absence. Describe the evening meal? 
What is the chief charm of a narrative like this? Com- 
pare with the selection from "Robinson Crusoe" on page 
42, of the fourth reader. 

VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT, A 

(Swift — V — 158.) This selection is a portion of a 
chapter taken from Swift's great satire called 'Gulliver's 
Travels." It is the larger part of the first chapter of 
"The Voyage to Lilliput." 

"Gulliver's Travels" is a story of the adventures of "one 
Lemuel Gulliver, first a surgeon and then a captain of 
several ships." There are four voyages in all, the first 
of these being the "Voyage to Lilliput." This is, on its 
face, a delightfully probable adventure, having to do with 
a race of pigmies, but fundamentally it is a satire upon 
the court and policy of George I and a scourge of those 
abusing power, or outraging humanity. 

The second voyage is to Brobdingnag, a land of giants 
in which part of Swift's satire is turned toward the gross- 
ness of humanity, as it had been against its pettiness in 
the "Voyage to Lilliput." In the third voyage to Laputa, 
the author turns his lash on the philosopher and pedant 

233 



and the concerted pretences of science. The last is the 
Voyage of the Houyhnhms. This is the least probable 
and most revolting of the satires. In it is described a 
race of bestial creatures, called Yahoos, painfully like 
human beings, and ruled by a race of horses, called 
Houyhnhmns. This is full of misanthropy and amounts 
to a libel on human nature. 

Van Dieman's Land, an island since known as Tas- 
mania, lying south of Australia. The South Pacific Ocean 
and the Australian Continent were very imperfectly ex- 
pored in Swift's time, so that he violated no apparent 
geographical probability in placing Lilliput in these seas. 

There is little to develope in this straightforward uafra- 
tive. However, the humor in various situations is valu- 
able and the idea is evident in even the short selection 
that nothing is great or little except by comparison. 

WALDEMAR'S VISIT 

(Varney — III — 165.) This is particularly good for oral 
reading, there being a number of proper names together 
with good dialogue to test pronunciations and expression. 
One of the first questions that might be settled for the 
child is that of the nationality of Waldemar's family. 
Let the pupil tell how it is possible for Waldemar to 
have one grandfather a German, one a Frenchman, and 
he be an American. Out of the conversation with Walde- 
mar before he takes his journey, make clear the points 
relative to a trip on the ocean. Here is an excellent op- 
portunity to give some idea of a wharf and of a steamer. 
In the conversation that follows Waledmar's departure, 
the important feature is the fact that the same sun, moon 
and stars appear to his playmates that Waldemar sees. 
How does it happen that they do not see them at the same 
time? How does the little girl console herself for this 
fact? The fourth feature of the lesson is the letter. 
What time of year did Waldemar take his journey? What 
is there in his letter to indicate it? What do American 
children have in place of the Easter hare? 

234 



WARD, MRS. HUMPHRY 

She was born at Hobart, Tasmania, June II, 1851. She 
was the eldest daughter of Thomas Arnold, and grand- 
daughter of Dr. Arnold of Rugby. She married T. 
Humphry Ward in 1872. Among her leading works are 
"Robert Elsmere," "Marcella," "Helbeck of Bannisdale," 
"Eleanor," 'Lady Rose's Daughter," "Marriage of Wil- 
liam Ashe," "Agatha," a play, and "Marriage a la Mode." 

Selection: III, 23. 

WARNER, CHAS. DUDLEY 

Born at Plainfield, Mass., September 12, 1829; grad- 
uated at Hamilton College; studied law and practiced 
from 1856 to i860 at Chicago. In the latter year took up 
the practice of journalism at Hartford, Conn., as editor 
of the "Hartford Press," later consolidated with "The 
Courant." His work includes fiction, essays, and travels, 
mainly. He was conducting the Editor's Study in Har- 
pers Magazine at the time of his death in 1900. 

Selection: IV, 196; V, 192. 

WASHINGTON 

(Byron — V — 51.) This is the last stanza of Byron's 
"Ode to Napoleon." After a fierce indictment of such 
greatness as Napoleon's, he asks the question constitut- 
ing the first lines of this poem. Would there be any 
repose in contemplating greatness like Napoleon's? Was 
his a case of "guilty glory"? What is meant by despic- 
able state? After considering this question, the poet 
thinks of "one — the first — the last — the best." Why does 
he call Washington "the Cincinnatus of the West"? [For 
the appropriateness of the term read article on page 139 
of fifth reader.] Does envy usually cause hate? Why 
was this not true in the case of Washington? "One" is 
the subject of the verb "bequeathed." Why should man 
blush because there was but one? 

WATER LILY, THE 

(Anon. — II — 23.) This story of the origin of the 
water lily in the little Indian legend is very beautiful and 

235 



is of the sort that is easily spoiled by over-analysis or 
too literal interpretation. There is nothing more awe- 
inspiring to the mind of a child than a star. By taking 
advantage of this stimulation of the imagination of the 
pupil, when his mind is keenly awakened to the beauty of 
the star, question him as to why a star should wish to 
come down to earth to live. Why should it appeal to 
little Mesha as to where it should make its home? What 
was Mes.ha's first suggestion? W r hy did being near the 
blue sky seem an inducement to Mesha? Why did the 
star chose the heart of a wild rose as its home? Why 
was it not content there? What was the second choice 
of the star? Why was it not content there? What was 
the star's final choice? What were the reasons for this? 
In what way does the changing of a star into a water lily 
seem fitting? 

WATER-LILY, THE 

(Roche — V — 69.) This is a very fine expression of the 
two phases of human life. The poet has made the 
water-lily the type of human life. The roots and stem 
represent the external sordid expression of the merely 
material phase. The blossom and leaves typify the in- 
ner or spiritual manifestation of this same life. The 
seeming contradiction in the two phases is set forth by 
grving the points of view of two groups of observers of 
the pond-lily. What constitutes the first group? What 
is fitting in the character of these observers? How does 
the term "gelid" harmonize with the thought of the 
stanza? What viewpoint of life does this group reflect? 
What constitutes the second group? Show in what way 
the second group differs in character from the first? What 
viewpoint does the second group reflect? Be very care- 
ful to give proper significance to the word "vulgar" in 
second stanza and the word "vile" in the fourth. What 
is the significance of the term "virgin gold"? Why speak 
of a soul as "fragrant"? The last stanza suggests the 
difference between the human and the divine estimate of 
a life. — Mere, a pond or small lake. — Gelid, cold, icy. 

236 



WATERLOO 

(Hugo — V — 251.) The account of the battle given here 
is made up of extracts taken from Hugo's "Les Miser- 
ables", Book II, While the accuracy of the account has 
been questioned in some particulars and while Hugo's 
estimate of the results or philosophy of the struggle 
are not always accepted, no one questions the wonder- 
ful descriptive power of the writer. The vividness with 
which the various divisions move before the imagina- 
tion invests the whole with a reality that holds 
the reader and impresses him with the importance of this 
final tragic act in the great drama of Napoleon's career. 
This battle has been called "the most momentous vic- 
tory ever won by the British arms, and the most happy 
in its results." It may be interesting to notice that it oc- 
curred exactly six centuries to a day after the signature of 
Magna Charta by King John. It is the last of the series 
treated by Creasy in his "Fifteen Decisive Battles of the 
World" and a reading of his account would be a good 
preparation on the part of the teacher toward under- 
standing the selection given.. If possible read the whole 
of the account in Hugo. The many names of persons 
found are mainly those of subordinate commanders and 
need not detain the class for any investigation. The 
context shows to which side they belong and the interest 
should center in the moving masses rather than in these 
single figures. An account of some of the principal char- 
acters such as Wellington, Napoleon, Blucher, Ney, etc., 
will be helpful and interesting. The gography should be 
clearly in mind. The outline of Napoleon's plan of battle 
should be seen first and then another diagram to illus- 
trate the actual fight may be drawn on the board on 
an enlarged scale as given in "Les Miserables." Then 
let the pupil keep track of the movements as he de- 
scribes or reads. — What determined the results at Water- 
loo? What was Napoleon's plan of battle? Explain the 
arrangement of the ground on which the battle was 
fought. What impression do you have of Wellington 
from Hugo's account? Of Napoleon? What seems to be 

237 



the climax of the struggle? What finally turned the tide 
in favor of the English? Mention some of the happenings 
that seem especially dramatic and terrible. What feeling 
do you have toward Napoleon at the close? — Cressy, 
Poiters, Malplaquet and Ramillies. Four great victories 
of the English over the French, the first two won by Ed- 
ward, the Black Prince, the last two by the Duke of 
Marlborough. Cressy has been called "the greatest vic- 
tory ever won." — Marengo Agincourt. Two battles, 

in the first of which (1800) Napoleon defeated the Aus- 
trians, and in the second of which (i4!5) the English de- 
feated the French. The "man of Marengo" is of course 
Napoleon. — "Vive PEmpereur!" Long live the Emperor. 
— Debouched on the plateau. Marched out, or issued 
forth upon the plateau. — Cuirassiers. The French heavy 
cavalry. — Abatis. An entanglement of fallen trees. — ■ 
Decimated. Destroyed one out of ten. — Somnambulist. 
One who walks in his sleep. 
WEBSTER, DANIEL 

Born at Salisbury, New Hampshire, January 18, 1782; 
graduated at Dartmouth; studied law; was admitted to 
the bar in 1805 and soon made a reputation as a lawyer 
and orator which placed him at the head of the profession; 
was a member of Congress from New Hampshire in 
1813 to 1817 and from Massachusetts 1823-7. In the 
latter year he became United States Senator from Mas- 
sachusetts. He was Secretary of State under Harrison 
and Tyler and again under President Fillmore. From 
1845 to 1850 he was in the Senate. During this sec- 
ond term in the Senate Webster made his great speech 
in answer to Col. Hayne of South Carolina. Webster 
alienated many of his Northern friends by his compro- 
mise in 1850 which was pretty generally regarded as a 
bid for the presidency. His Bunker Hill orations and 
that on the anniversary of the landing of the Pilgrims, 
are the most famous of his public speeches. Died at 
Marshfield, Mass., October 24, 1852. Life in American 
Statesmen Series. 
Selection: V, 275. 

238 



WHAT DO WE PLANT WHEN WE PLANT THE 
TREE? 

(Abbey — IV — 249.) This poem is very simple and di- 
rect in its style. Its theme is that of the great interde- 
pendence of all life. The far-reaching results of the plant- 
ing of a tree are given (1st) in the various parts that go 
to make up a ship, (2nd) in the various parts that go to 
make up a house, and (3rd) in a miscellaneous little 
group of the things "we daily see." The child's imagina- 
tion can be drawn upon for a larger list of things which 
have been contributed by the tree, and greater force given 
to the thought of our social interdependence by suggest- 
ing the various hands through which the tree has passed 
before reaching the final product. 

WHAT MAKES A NATION? 

(Nesbit — V — 279.) In this poem, the writer endeavors 
to show that it is not external material things that con- 
stitute a nation, or that make it strong, but the common 
inner faith that animates the life of all. In the first 
stanza the question, is asked if boundary lines are what 
make a nation. Note the figure in the second line. The 
conception of measuring a nation's girth on the silent 
hills or on the prairie floor gives the sugestion of vast- 
ness. In the second stanza the question is asked as to 
what of external equipment it takes to make a nation 
strong. Note the second line in this stanza, and explain 
the source of its beauty. Why are the terms "flaunt" and 
"racing" harmonious with the thought? — Screed, a strip. 
In the third stanza the answer to the first is suggested 
in the form of a question — "Is it the great common heart 
which beats in all her sons," etc? In the last stanza the 
question in the second is answered. Is it a material or a 
spiritual force that makes a nation great? 

WHAT THE WIND DOES 

(Anon. — II — 10.) The idea in this selection is not dif- 
ferent from that in the preceeding poem ("The Wind") 
and much the same manner may be employed in its pre- 

239 



sentation. In addition to the mystery of the wind as ex- 
pressed by Stevenson, we have the idea of the wind's 
utility. What are the different ways spoken of in which 
the wind works? Have the child add to the list of its 
uses. 

WHEN THE DOGWOOD BLOOMS 

(Lounsberry — III — 183.) An adequate idea of the dog- 
wood bloom is the first step in the presentation of this 
lesson. If it is in season the actual bloom should be 
called into service. If not, a picture will have to serve. 
The beauty of the bloom and the perfection of the tree is 
the point to be emphasized. Make the child understand 
that trees and plants have an individuality and that mu- 
tilation does violence to that individuality. In order to 
impress the dignity of the life of trees, it would not be 
amiss to tell something of the extent to which tree sur- 
gery is practiced to save the lives of trees. Grandmother's 
sentiment is the first step in the process of awakening a 
sympathy for the tree. What is her remedy for this so- 
called cruelty? Did the remedy hold good in Phillip 
Todd's case? What are the steps in his awakening to a 
love for the dogwood tree? How does the last sentence 
in the selection sum up the meaning of the whole? 

WHEN LINCOLN WAS A LITTLE BOY 

(Anon. — II — 129.) This lesson may be made interest- 
ing and effective by carrying along with the events of Lin- 
coln's life and the condition which he found in his new 
home, a comparison with the situation a boy of the pres- 
ent day would face in moving to Indiana from another 
State. Consider, first, the modes of travel. It was be- 
tween seventy and eighty miles from the old home to 
the new. How long did it take the Lincolns? How long 
would it likely take at the present time? Secondly, con- 
sider the home and its equipment. Compare it with the 
average or even the poorest farm house of to-day. In 
the third place, take up the matter of education. Con- 
sider school facilities and the matter of literature. How 

240 



is the question of distances solved now for the boy going 
to the country school? Emphasize the story of Lincoln's 
first book. Why did he so thoroughly appreciate the 
book? Does the undergoing of hardship necessarily pro- 
duce greatness? What is the real connection between 
hardship and greatness? 

WHERE DO THE BIRD'S SLEEP? 

(Sharp— V — 90.) This selection is so simple in idea 
and style that the pupil can have no trouble in following 
it. The expression, "The wild symphony of the winds," 
should be made clear. What is a symphony and why 
should the noise of the winds be referred to as a "wild 
symphony"? Call attention to the figure of speech in the 
third paragraph in the description of the pines. 

WHITTIER, JOHN GREENLEAF 

Born near Haverhill, Mass., December 17, 1807; early 
education was scanty. He displayed great activity in the 
anti-slavery cause and in writing poems and newspaper 
articles bearing upon this movement. His range of sub- 
jects and his powers of expression were somewhat lim- 
ited, but his work is distinguished by rare melody and 
sincere feeling. His "Snow Round" has often been com- 
pared to Burns' "Cotter's Saturday Night." Died at 
Hampton Falls,, New Hampshire, September 7, 1892. The 
authorized editions of his works are published by Hough- 
ton, Mifflin & Co., Boston, Mass., while his "Life and Let- 
ters" by Pickard, in two volumes, are issued by the same 
house. Linton's life in the Great Writers series is a sat- 
isfactory short sketch. 
Selections: III. 88; V, 44- 

WHITMAN, WALT 

Born at West Hills, Long Island, May 31, 1819; began 
life as a printer, spending a great deal of his time min- 
gling with the working people; was editor of the "Brook- 
lyn Daily Eagle" for a brief period, and an ocasicnal 
contributor to many other periodicals. His first book, 
"Leaves," appeared in 1856. During the war he served as 

241 



a volunteer nurse in the army hospitals, afterwards was 
employed as a government clerk in Washington until 
1875. About this time he moved to Camden, New Jer- 
sey, where he lived until his death, March 26, 1892. "Leaves 
of Grass," "Drum Taps" and "Specimen Days and Col- 
lect," are his chief works. His failure to observe the or- 
dinary rules of poetic construction is the distinguishing 
mark in the form of his work, the one striking exception 
to this general rule being the selection "Oh, Captain! My 
Captain," found in V, 198. Whitman's collected works are 
published by Small, Maynard & Company of Boston, 
Mass. Perhaps the most sympathetic study of Whitman 
is that by John Burroughs. 

WHO OWNS THE MOUNTAINS 

(Van Dyke — V — 235.) This passage is taken from Dr. 
Van Dyke's "Little Rivers," a book that is full of the 
love of the great out-of-doors. It is a splendid sermon 
on the nature of true ownership. What incident led to 
the line of thought presented? What does the law say 
about the kinds of property? What is the difference be- 
tween them? What does Dr. Van Dyke mean by saying 
that all property is personal? Can you locate the familiar 
passages in the Bible upon which the two questions in 
the 7th paragraph are based? Do you notice that they 
are not questions after all? Explain. Contrast the true 
and false measure of success. Show how the last sen- 
tence sums it all up. — Unearned increment. A term used 
much in political science, meaning the increase of value 
resulting from general causes, as distinguished from that 
due to the labor or improvement put upon the land by its 
individual owner. 

WHY DO BELLS FOR CHRISTMAS RING? 

(Field — III — 100.) The Christmas story is likely to 
make its strongest appeal to the young child when em- 
phasized as the celebration of a real birthday. Test the 
child's actual knowledge of the event. Make the facts 
as real to him as possible. Where was Christ born and 
when? How did the star figure in the story? Why was 

242 



the cradle of Christ in a manager? What is meant by 
holy? A greater S3 r mpathy can be enlisted and a larger 
sense of reality in the birthday celebration impressed on 
the pupil's mind by emphasizing the human phases in the 
holy child's life that are common to all children. 

WIDOW WIGGINS' WONDERFUL CAT 

(Eggleston — IV — 92.) The generous use of allitera- 
tions makes the selection particularly useful for oral read- 
ing. The unexpected interjection of alliterative passages 
gives excellent drill in both enunciation and pronuncia- 
tion. After reading the entire selection orally, develop 
through a series of questions the characteristics of the 
various persons in the story. What kind of woman was 
the Widow Wiggins? What kind of woman was Mrs. 
Vine? What of Mr. Slick, Tilda Tattle, Deacon Petti- 
bone, Mrs. Pettibone and Tom? How did the widow's cat 
behave with the various persons? Why did the cat 
change its behavior with the deacon? What was the 
effect of this change? Explain the parable of the Prodi- 
gal Son and show its connection with the deacon's ex- 
perience. What did the deacon hear mewing within 
him? 

WILLIAM TELL 

(Anon. — II — 91.) This lesson should be read through 
carefully by pupils before any attempt is made to de- 
velop the meaning. A comparison between Gessler and 
Tell is a good way to prepare for the outcome of the in- 
cident. What was Gessler's chief characteristic? What 
actions bear this out? What was Tell's chief characteris- 
tic? What actions prove this? In the test to which Tell 
was put was it his skill alone that was responsible for his 
sucess? What quality in the boy made this episode pos- 
sible? How does the arrow secreted under Tell's coat 
further show the character of the man? 

THE WIND IN A FROLIC 

(Howitt — IV — 90.) The light mood of the poem is the 
first feature to impress upon the pupil. If this be lost, 

243 



there is no point to the poem. From, the first sweep of 
the wind to the final climax of "his hat in a pool and his 
shoe in the mud," there is no suggestion of violence. 
The sly humor in the various situations must be made 
evident. Develop a series of pictures in which the victims 
of the wind's pranks are described and see to it that no 
humorous touch is omitted. Ask for a list of the wind's 
pranks that appeal to the sense of hearing and another 
of those acquired by the sense of sight. 

WIND, THE 

(Stevenson — II — 9.) The child's point of view of a 
natural phenomenon is put forth artistically in this poem. 
Since it is from the viewpoint of the child that the wind 
is considered, the following of the poem sympathetically 
as the points develop is the logical plan in presentation. 
It is presumably a child who is talking to the wind. What 
line in the poem clearly shows this to be true? By what 
experience has the child become aware of the wind 
through the sense of sight? By what experience has it 
become aware of the wind through the sense of hearing? 
By what through touch? In spite of this sense knowl- 
edge what is the final question in the mind of the child? 
If this selection leaves the pupil with a sense of the 
subtle beauty, and mystery of the wind, it has accom- 
plished its purpose. 

WINTER NEIGHBORS 

(Burroughs — V — 126.) This selection is a portion of a 
chapter entitled "Winter Neighbors," from a volume called 
"Signs and Seasons." In order to fully comprehend the 
spirit of the author the introductory paragraphs of the 
chapter should be read. Some information as to the 
winter habits of birds is desirable. One very evident 
point to be made is that of adaptation among animals. 
Marshal all the data in this selection by which" this point 
can be emphasized. W T hat were the two modes em- 
ployed by the owl for his protection? Is it true of most 
animals that the aggressive method is resorted to as a 
final resource? The great end to be attained is the awak- 

244 



ening of a keener sympathy and more accurate observa- 
tion of animal life. The reading of the entire chapter 
to the pupils would probably be a legitimate aid. 

"WITH WHOM IS NO VARIABLENESS, NEITHER 
SHADOW OF TURNING" 

(Clough — IV — 220.) In the epistle of James, first chap- 
ter, and seventeenth verse, find the complete sentiment 
from which the title of the poem is taken. The idea is 
that of the Infinite as opposed to the Finite. The con- 
templation of the absolute and its unchanging order, as 
compared with the limitations of the brief span of a hu- 
man life is the object of the poem. This can be accom- 
plished only relatively and that by dwelling upon the 
great natural processes in such a manner as to suggest 
the infinitude of space and time. Draw upon astronomy 
for the idea of space, and of an order in which there is 
no variableness. From geology illustrate the great 
reaches in time, through which purposes have been car- 
ried out. Nature's kindness of adaptivity may be shown 
in the green of the grass and blue of the sky. If the 
teacher succeeds in bringing to the child a degree of 
consciousness of the insignificance of the individual as 
compared to the larger life of the universe, he will strike 
the large point. 

WOLF AND THE KID, THE 

(Aesop — III — 56.) A series of questions must be asked 
to bring out the essential qualities of the two animals. 
The difference in habits and disposition must be made 
clear before the child can see the fallacy in the kid's posi- 
tion. That courage is a matter of the spirit and not the 
result of fortunate circumstances is the point to be ac- 
complished. A homely illustration of the boy who is a 
bully may be made to serve in this connection. 

WOODWORTH, SAMUEL 

An American journalist and poet, born at Scituate, 

Mass., in 1785; died at New York in 1842. After 

an apprenticeship in a printing office he published a 

245 



paper at New Haven, Conn., in 1807. During the war oi 
1812, he conducted a weekly paper called "The War," and 
later assisted m founding the "New York Mirror." He 
published a good deal of verse as well as operettas. He is 
remembered for his song, "The Old Oaken Bucket." 
Selection: IV, 139. 

WOOLSON, CONSTANCE FENIMORE 

Born at Claremont, New Hampshire, March 5, 1838; 
spent her early life at Cleveland, Ohio; lived about ten 
years in the South along the Atlantic coast until 1879, 
when she went to Europe, residing principally in Italy 
until her death, Jan. 24, 1894. She was the author of a 
number of novels in addition to a large amount of mag- 
azine work. 

Selection: IV, 217. 

WORDSWORTH, WILLIAM 

Born at Cockermouth, in Cumberland, England, in 
1770. His early education was received at Hawkshead 
grammar school from which in 1787 he went up to St. 
John's College, Cambridge. It was in the days at Hawks~ 
head that Wordsworth acquired the great love of nature 
that characterized all his work and made him a poet. His 
later experience at Cambridge did little to modify his 
philosophy of life acquired in his lonely haunts about 
Hawkshead. During the French Revolution his en- 
thusiasm took him to France, where he identified himself 
with the Girondists. Later, however, his political faith 
swung back and he became a strong conservative. It was 
in the fifteen years following this mental readjustment 
thai Wordsworth wrote his best poetry. When about 
thirty he returned to the lakes never to leave them for a 
great length of time. In 1802 he married his cousin, 
Mary Hutchinson, who together with his invalid sister, 
Dorothy, became his constant companions for the thirty- 
seven quiet years of literary work that followed. A few 
friends, among whom were Southey, Coleridge and De 
Quincey frequented his simple home. In 1843, Words- 

246 



worth was appointed Poet Laureate to succeed Southey, 
and in April 23, 1850, he died at Rydal Mount. 

In his poetry Wordsworth completed the return to 
nature begun by Thomson, and continued by Cowper and 
Burns, his favorite theme being the influence of nature 
on man. He held that the humblest subjects treated in a 
natural manner were suitable for poetry, while he dis- 
carded the conventional diction that had grown up in the 
eighteenth century. The "Lyrical Ballads," written in 
company with Coleridge, was published in 1798. "The 
Excursion," written in 1814, is probably the finest of 
Wordsworth's work. The most satisfactory edition of 
the work of the author is that edited by Professor Wil- 
liam Knight. For the general reader, the cream of Words- 
worth is found in a little volume of selections edited by 
Matthew Arnold. A good brief biography and criticism 
is that by F. W. H. Myers in the English Men of Letters 
series. 

Selections: IV, 121; V, 249; V, 263. 

WORK AND SORROW 

(Baldwin — III — 152.) The deepest impressions of the 
hardships of pioneer life such as is described in the se- 
lection may be made by comparing modern rural life, 
modes of travel and forms of industry with those of Lin- 
coln's boyhood. Make a point of the fact that even the 
roads had to be cut part of the way. 

WYSS, JOHANN RUDOLF 

Born at Bern, March 13, 17.81, and died there March 31, 
1830. He was a Swiss author, professor of philosophy and 
chief librarian at Bern. His best known work is "The 
Swiss Family Robinson," written in 1813. 

Selection: V, 63. 

YELLOW WING 

(Anon. — III — 175.) The main feature of this selection 
is the impression it gives of the new life in nature. The 
fact that Yellow-Wing was born on Easter Monday is 
significant. While the facts relative to Easter may be set 

247 



JAN 5 19 ^ 



forth, the great significance to the child is the resurrec- 
tion of the living things about him. A strong appeal can 
be made to his sense of color and motion in this descrip- 
tion of nature. The vividness of the picture left in the 
child's mind of the various objects suggested, with their 
corresponding actions, is the measure of success of the 
presentation of the lesson. 

ZITKALA-SA 

A Yankton Sioux, born in Dakota. She was educated 
at White's Institute, Wabash, and Earlham College, Rich- 
mond, Indiana. She taught two years in an Indian school 
in Pennsylvania. For a study of her people she has lived 
among the Indians of Dakota and Utah. Her leading 
work is "Old Indian Legends." 

Selection: IV, 35. 




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